Quote of the Day

[Content Note: Rape culture; revictimization.]

"In society, sometimes we question why rape victims are reluctant to come forward. So now we have our answer. ...We are disappointed."—Ben Andreozzi, attorney for Victim 4 in the case against Jerry Sandusky, the former Penn State assistant football coach whose trial on charges of child rape is soon to start. Judge John Cleland has ruled that the complainants' "identities may not be concealed during the trial, although they will be protected through the jury selection process."

"Courts are not customarily in the business of withholding information," Cleland's ruling said. "Secrecy is thought to be inconsistent with the openness required to assure the public that the law is being administered fairly and applied faithfully."

But, the judge noted, "It is also be to hoped that various news organizations that will report on the trial will use what has become their professional custom to protect the privacy of alleged victims."

So victims of child rape will be identified in court, and will have to rely on the ethics of the media to protect their anonymity. Awesome.

That will definitely encourage survivors of sexual violence to report crimes against them, especially in a rape culture where making rape allegations is considered a more heinously cruel act than actually raping someone.