Hypocrisy in the media
By Rajendra Man Singh….
I am surprised to find so much inconsistency between news reports dealing with what is the same basic situation. A link in Drudgereport, a popular news aggregation website, on June 29, 2016 reads, “UPDATE: Woman slept with ‘more than 30’ cops in Oakland sex scandal…” From a glance at the link, one would wonder why that was even a news-worthy piece, given that there are ample tabloid-like websites to cover such prurient subject matter. Upon clicking the link, one is taken to the Abc7news website news article titled, “I-TEAM EXCLUSIVE: Woman at center of Oakland police sex scandal speaks out.” Still one would wonder, “What’s a big deal? A woman had sex with numerous cops. So what?” However, upon reading the article, a clearer picture emerges.
The “woman” in question is an 18 year old girl who had sex with multiple law enforcement officers, some when she was still underage. It was obvious that the article tried to portray her as a loose “woman” who became a prostitute at age twelve. The article mentioned as many as 32 law enforcement officers of different ranks and departments. The article also mentioned that several law enforcement officers who had sex with Celeste Guap were cleared of all charges because “the incident was consensual, no one paid, and she was 18 at the time.” As she is just now 18, the legal age of consent in California, and this investigation has been going on for some time, one cannot help but wonder how factual this is.
The surprising part, the hypocritical part, is that nowhere in the news article do the words “rape” and “victim” appear. Any other news story involving sex between an adult man and a willing but underage girl, even when a girlfriend-boyfriend relationship exists and the age difference is not nearly so great, use “victim” to identify the girl and generally withhold her name. And the young man will most likely be charged with rape and face life on the sex offender registry. This is also the accepted practice in stories about underage prostitutes; their identities are protected, and they are considered “trafficking victims.”
Should not media reporting — and the law — be the same for everyone regardless of the situation of the underage person and regardless of whether or not the adult is associated with law enforcement? However, an accusation of “rape” does not seem applicable when one of their own gets entangled in the very laws of which numerous US citizens have been convicted, punished, and are still being penalized decades later, their lives and their families’ lives devastated, by their inclusion on the sex offender registry.
Will any of these law enforcement officers who had sex with an underage girl face the same fate as ordinary people? Only time will tell.
Will news reporting of such incidents continue to be rife with hypocrisy, or will all underage victims be victims and all adults be held to the same standards regardless of the circumstances and regardless of who they are? Only time will tell.
of course it’s “different”. their cops and they can get away with it. just like the FBI gets away with compiling their own kiddie porn files and puts it online. and then add if the fact that the FBI will run it’s own kiddie porn website, allow 100’s of people to download thousands of files to be downloaded then arrest and convict only 20 of the people who downloaded the files.
Sandy it makes no difference weather she got paid or not this incident just goes to show you that police are no different when it comes to sex or responsibility yet as you say the media doesn’t use words as rape as that word has different meanings and not always of a sexual nature.
I myself have a problem with intent when one law officers say that was your intent even though the conversations veer off to contain a sexual content type of chat.
Prostitution is one of the oldest professions in the book but for police force to be involved in these things and be found out about there conduct is a disgrace to the nation and sends a message that they are not so dedicated to their profession or a bit slack to the recreational perks of their profession.
Cops being bad and having sex! I hope they were off duty. This ordeal should send a message about police forces finest. But than they will say, well our dept. over here in Virginia or Maryland or where ever doesn’t have that problem.
If its all about sex its a juicy item for media to sell papers. Whether its people getting set up or some college kid getting some gal drunk and raping her its all about morals and human instinct and what lengths people will go thru to cover up or to punish one unjustly for the same thing that those that suppose to protect and serve do. I hate to say it but the USA is going crazy with this whole sex registry law and it is way out of hand.
I think it’s disgusting the way they hide behind their job titles. They will change or omit evidence to suit their needs, but exaggerate or create it for anyone else.
Hypocrisy is absolutely correct; in the state of Michigan, the age of consent is 16, however, the Health Department is allowed to hand out birth control to kids as young as 13. I just don’t understand it. Isn’t that aiding and abetting? It’s almost like they are encouraging them to engage. I have to wonder if any of the kids who receive the birth control are asked with whom they are having sex with. A bigger net will catch more fish.
Lin
While you are absolutely right, its going to be hard to get anything to change if we don’t form together first. If we take a stand for rsol, they will have to see it. They can choose to respond however they wish, but we need to come together, all of us, and fight this more publicly
Yesterday I heard an interesting thing thatno one seems to vocalize here. Remember the US constitution? So many have used the part that all men be treated equal to prompt many things in America. Some legal. Couldn’t that approach be used. In today’s society, all men are NOT treated equal. And my question is why. Who decided that the constitution was only valid sometimes. And sometimes it should hold no bearing. Maybe I am way off here, maybe I am the only one thinking about this. But let me know what you all think. Please.
I heard that in the state of Hawaii police officers can solicit prostitutes without consequences. Talk about Hypocrisy at its finest!
I’m sure everyone here knows who John Walsh is. No story about hypocrisy would be complete without mentioning John Walsh and his relationship with an underage girl. Here’s a link to his wikipedia page:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Walsh_(television_host)#Controversy
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4rsf40/til_john_walsh_who_is_credited_to_harsh_laws/
Right….that’s a good point Emil.
If he hadn’t gone crazy and pushed for the Adam Walsh act i wouldn’t care about his private life. His relationship was consensual and he married the girl. Bravo! Okay, but how many 1000’s of young men on the registry did the exact same thing? Maybe Walsh does what he does because he cares so much about children but methinks it’s a less pure motivation.
I really can’t forgive him for his hypocrisy and all the pain and suffering he has caused.
The media knows who butters their bread. They will be cut off from their police sources if they paint law enforcement in a negative light. They don’t report news, they fight for ratings. Simple….and corrupt.