Jezebel 
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New York, 2:54 AM
Mon Nov 9
19 posts in the last 24 hours
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07/25/09
07/26/09
07/25/09
Also, if anyone's interested in women's rights in Liberia, there is a fantastic local NGO called ZODWOCA that is working, one community at a time, to spread the news that rape IS a crime now, and you can report it, and that as a woman, you have rights. So, there is good progress being made, albeit slowly. If you want more info, go here: http://allafrica.com/stories/200904271186.html
07/25/09
07/25/09
Jesus Christ this makes me sad. At least the boys are all being charged and the 14 year old is being charged as an adult? I really hope this little girl finds someone who will take good care of her. :-(
07/25/09
Seeing the statements of the family of this victim, at least those who have talked publicly, is sickening and heartbreaking. The sister (young herself) completely denied that this happened. "She's too little, she can't do that." I think the wording there is important. SHE can't do that. There was no mention of the boys, except from their families, and those statements were much the same.
My take, from the beginning, has not been in line with Keita, at all.
Either way, and no matter what the meaning is behind the actions of her family, it's a travesty that this poor girl was not met with understanding.
07/25/09
07/25/09
Also, why are we assuming that there are no laws against rape in Liberia? It may very well be illegal to rape a child or an adult there. The parents' shunning of the girl doesn't indicate that rape is legal in Liberia just that rape victims are a source of shame for families. One could very well argue the same thing occurs in the U.S. Rape is illegal but rape victims are persecuted.
07/25/09
These parents are dumb and ignorant. Know why? Because their EIGHT YEAR OLD DAUGHTER was RAPED and instead of being there for her, they told the police they didn't want her. I don't care what country you are from, how you were raised, what race you are, how old you are, etc; if this is your response after an event like this, you are ignorant and dumb, regardless.
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07/26/09
It IS uncivilized. Those stupid boys are uncivilized. And places that accept this sort of behavior as some kind of jacked up "cultural norm" are uncivilized.
07/26/09
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07/26/09
any culture where women are shamed and blamed after being attacked sexually IS BACKWARDS.these attitudes used to prevail over western cultures, too, but WE HAVE PROGRESSED out of them. this is a fact, not a racist statement.
07/26/09
07/26/09
It's inaccurate and frankly laughable for Americans to characterize our country as progressive or different with regards to sexual assault, and it's horrible to use racist buzzwords to condemn non-Western countries for their attitudes towards rape. We're not, as a country, forwards thinking or progressive with regards to rape. And we're clearly not forwards thinking with regard to race, because throughout this conversation, people have been repeatedly, almost gleefully, using problematic words with hugely racist connotations and refusing to acknowledge these connotations. I would expect more from a supposedly feminist website.
07/27/09
What you fail to understand is that these reactions (and possibly even this story) have ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with race. Nothing. The people were from Liberia, but I don't give two flying fucks about that; I even had to scroll up to even make sure I had the name right, since I didn't care enough about it to pay attention the first time around.
What happened here is that a mother and a father (parents, REGARDLESS of color, country, etc) have decided to disown their daughter, not because of anything she did, but because four boys lured her away with the promise of gum and GANG RAPED her. She is hurt, abused, and raped at the age of 8 and these people who claim to be her parents are not only absent at a time when she needs them the most, but have decided they want nothing more to do with her. Now, if that's not the most backward fucking thing you've ever heard, please explain to me the right context to use that word.
07/27/09
Thank you for voicing what I was too worked up to say earlier.
07/27/09
07/27/09
1: Girl was raped
2: Parents abandoned her
This is what should have happened:
1: Girl was raped
2: Parents SUPPORT HER and do everything in their power to make the situation better
What they did is completely backwards to what they should have done. Their actions were inexcusable because their daughter needs them. They are ignorant because they don't seem to see a problem disowning their daughter because she was raped. Notice how none of that has to do with race?
I don't care what country they are from, how they were raised, what the environment was like wherever they lived before, whether it's acceptable where they lived before, etc. I COULD NOT POSSIBLY CARE LESS ABOUT ANY OF THAT SHIT. What I do care about is that little girl. And what I see are two parents (who would still be considered parents regardless of race,color,creed,etc) had something horrible happen to their daughter and, instead of being there to support her, they disown her. That is backwards, no ifs, and's or but's about it.
Just because they are a different race doesn't mean they can't be called on their bullshit. And implying there is underlying racism with anyone who calls their actions out for what they are isn't helping the situation, either.
07/28/09
why on earth would anyone be "gleeful" about anything we're discussing here? are you implying that making the obvious connection between the little girl's cultural background and the way that her family is dealing with this tragedy is racist? are you implying that the fact that they are a liberian refugee family is irrelevant? talking about cultural differences is not a form of racism. and neither is saying that I thank god every day that my queer, loudmouthed, sexually active and unashamed self was born into a developed nation. for all our culture's flaws, women are far safer in this country than they are in most of the rest of the world. fact.
07/25/09
That family thinks they have been shamed because of what happened to their little girl? I am sure it is nothing compared to the shame they are feeling now.
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07/25/09
Oh Karma.
And I agree, the parents should not get their daughter back. They should learn from their mistakes and all people should get counseling.
07/25/09
07/25/09
The child should not be returned to her family - even if the family is shamed into asking for her back. Seems likely that if she goes back they will never treat her the same, they will probably make it clear that they view her as "damaged" or marked by shame. Shame on them!
http://edition.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/07/24/liberia.arizona.juvenile.assault/
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07/26/09