Saturday, December 20, 2008

What's love got to do with it?




There is so much wrong with this article.

And I’m not talking about what actually happened, horrific enough as that is.
I.E.
· Women as possessions
· Violence and power wielded over someone far smaller.
· Her terror and fear
· The knife at her throat having been hung upside down.

No, I’m talking about the reportage of this event.

Catch the first wrong:

The caption under the first photo:

“Lovers’ Spat?”

Yeah, this usually happens when you have a quarrel with your partner/husband/loved one.

He hangs you upside from a balcony on the third floor. All the time. What a joker he is.

Then the next wrong and I quote:

“more tantalisingly, what they could have been arguing about that drove him to such extremes.”

Well damnit, it was all her fault. She drove him to it. She should be careful what she says. She pushes him just too far.

Note: not one word about battering or abuse.

10 comments:

  1. You're right, WWW. Those words trivialize the horrific thing that is happening. Shame on that newspaper for allowing it to be reported like that. I was struck with horror when I saw that picture. I hope everyone in their right mind will be too.

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  2. Mail on Line is, I think, the internet version of the UK's Daily Mail, which is a conservative rag.
    I wouldn't expect anything decent from their reporters, ever!

    Dreadful story.

    ReplyDelete
  3. clearly the writer was trying for a wry tone. but my god, where was the editor?? that's about the most inappropriate tone you could use for a story like that.

    bad writing at its worst.
    and that poor woman.

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  4. The only use for the Daily Mail is if you have run out of loo paper and are really desparate. I can't imagine any use for an online version of it.

    I hope that the woman is freed from such an abusive relationship, and that she has good friends and family who can help her through it :-(

    ReplyDelete
  5. Let's hope the Japanese justice system works more effectively than its British counterpart, and this evil bastard is incarcerated for a very long time. In Britain, where this trash in newspaper's clothing originates, he'd be out on bail in twenty-four hours, bound over to keep the peace (at worst) and likely straight back to finish what he started.
    The Daily Mail is garbage. Sadly, in Britain these days, so are many other so-called "news" papers.

    ReplyDelete
  6. @Irene:
    Yes, so trivializing of a real horror story.
    @T:
    Yes, I'm aware of what an exploitive rag it is, but so many read it and what kind of message does reportage like this carry?
    @Laurie:
    Totally.
    @Jo:
    Me too.
    @RJA:
    And they are catering to the lowest form of readership who think this kind of behavior is tolerable.
    XO
    WWW

    ReplyDelete
  7. There is huge breach of duty of care by the news broadcasters, television programmers, newspapers, magazine publishers. Their duty of care is not to spill crap but educate their readers, audiences, spectators. Language should be used well, news should be reported with conscience. Overall, every bit of programming should be geared towards a common goal of betterment of society. Instead, they choose pursuit of ratings, thus appealing to the greater masses, who know not better than watching the misery of others packaged as entertainment. That's why I don't watch television and I am very picky on which newspaper I pick up to read.
    Gx

    ReplyDelete
  8. When I followed your link to read the article, the ad at the top of the page read "Popular Prick." Says it all about this particular rag and its attitude to such horrific violence.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Gaye:
    I'm vigilant as well about what I read, etc. and never watch TV so was surprised on a headline cruise on the web on this particular piece of mysongynistic reporting. It seems to be like we have advanced very little indeed when this is what is being fed to the masses.
    XO
    WWW

    ReplyDelete
  10. Tessa:
    LOL.
    And a prick to the conscience too, perhaps?
    XO
    WWW

    ReplyDelete

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