Trigger Warning: Sexual abuse, victim blaming, assault, childhood abuse,
rape
Talkback radio misogyny reached new lows late last week when 2SM radio host John Laws asked a caller whether the sexual abuse she’d suffered throughout her childhood was “her fault”. He even went so far as questioning whether she was "provocative" at the tender age of six. No child "provokes" sexual abuse.
John Laws' comments are absolutely reprehensible and - despite a fierce eruption of anger on blogs and social media - his "apology" was far from adequate. Instead, he was back on air on Friday telling those complaining to “go to hell.” He even again suggested it was the victim’s fault “if she allowed it to happen”.
We can't allow incidences like this to continue. In this case, John Laws was dead wrong and unbelievably insensitive. If we let him and the 2SM station managers and owners continue without addressing the serious nature of this kind of talk we're sending a message to all Australians that victim blaming and shaming is OK in this country.
Click here to sign the petition we've put together with our friends at Destroy the Joint, calling for John Laws to apologise and for management to address the need for education.
I’ll be honest with you: a campaign like this will typically create an initial surge of rage, but too often dies out as the media cycle moves on.
As Clementine Ford wrote on Friday, “the news cycle works so rapidly that today's furious tweets are tomorrow's distant ephemera. It's what allows the industry to keep men who offend, men who belittle, men who bully, in their comfortable seats behind their powerful microphones.”
We’re working with our friends over at Destroy the Joint to plan to deliver your petition in a way that 2SM management and the media can’t ignore - but change starts with you. Don’t let John Laws move into the next media cycle without feeling the consequences of last week’s vile comments. Now is our chance to come together to build a society where victim blaming is no longer tolerated.
Sign the petition here to hold John Laws to account for his victim blaming: http://www.getup.org.au/campaigns/womens-rights/shame-on-blame/shame-on-victim-blame
Whether it takes a week, a month or a year – we cannot allow people who blame the victims of sexual abuse and sexual assault to continue to make their revolting comments on air with no fear of consequences, or any idea about what their words mean to the millions of Australians who have suffered sexual abuse.
With hope,
Erin, for the GetUp team.
P.S. People power has the opportunity to create a scandal so big for radio station 2SM that they’ll rethink ever allowing victim blaming to occur again on their airwaves. 2SM management and the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) have the power to put Laws in his place. But as of this weekend it's clear neither have the intention of doing much about this. According to ACMA they have received about eight emailed complaints, which they have referred to the radio station, 2SM. We need both 2SM and ACMA to feel the pressure and take appropriate action. Write to 2SM and submit a formal complaint to ACMA here: http://www.getup.org.au/campaigns/womens-rights/shame-on-blame/hold-2sm-accountable
If John Laws' comments have been traumatic for you and you would like support, please call the sexual abuse survivor’s hotline on: 1800 737 732
GetUp is an independent, not-for-profit community campaigning group. We use new technology to empower Australians to have their say on important national issues. We receive no political party or government funding, and every campaign we run is entirely supported by voluntary donations. If you'd like to contribute to help fund GetUp's work, please donate now! If you have trouble with any links in this email, please go directly to www.getup.org.au. To unsubscribe from GetUp, please click here. Authorised by Sam Mclean, Level 2, 104 Commonwealth Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010.
Talkback radio misogyny reached new lows late last week when 2SM radio host John Laws asked a caller whether the sexual abuse she’d suffered throughout her childhood was “her fault”. He even went so far as questioning whether she was "provocative" at the tender age of six. No child "provokes" sexual abuse.
John Laws' comments are absolutely reprehensible and - despite a fierce eruption of anger on blogs and social media - his "apology" was far from adequate. Instead, he was back on air on Friday telling those complaining to “go to hell.” He even again suggested it was the victim’s fault “if she allowed it to happen”.
We can't allow incidences like this to continue. In this case, John Laws was dead wrong and unbelievably insensitive. If we let him and the 2SM station managers and owners continue without addressing the serious nature of this kind of talk we're sending a message to all Australians that victim blaming and shaming is OK in this country.
Click here to sign the petition we've put together with our friends at Destroy the Joint, calling for John Laws to apologise and for management to address the need for education.
I’ll be honest with you: a campaign like this will typically create an initial surge of rage, but too often dies out as the media cycle moves on.
As Clementine Ford wrote on Friday, “the news cycle works so rapidly that today's furious tweets are tomorrow's distant ephemera. It's what allows the industry to keep men who offend, men who belittle, men who bully, in their comfortable seats behind their powerful microphones.”
We’re working with our friends over at Destroy the Joint to plan to deliver your petition in a way that 2SM management and the media can’t ignore - but change starts with you. Don’t let John Laws move into the next media cycle without feeling the consequences of last week’s vile comments. Now is our chance to come together to build a society where victim blaming is no longer tolerated.
Sign the petition here to hold John Laws to account for his victim blaming: http://www.getup.org.au/campaigns/womens-rights/shame-on-blame/shame-on-victim-blame
Whether it takes a week, a month or a year – we cannot allow people who blame the victims of sexual abuse and sexual assault to continue to make their revolting comments on air with no fear of consequences, or any idea about what their words mean to the millions of Australians who have suffered sexual abuse.
With hope,
Erin, for the GetUp team.
P.S. People power has the opportunity to create a scandal so big for radio station 2SM that they’ll rethink ever allowing victim blaming to occur again on their airwaves. 2SM management and the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) have the power to put Laws in his place. But as of this weekend it's clear neither have the intention of doing much about this. According to ACMA they have received about eight emailed complaints, which they have referred to the radio station, 2SM. We need both 2SM and ACMA to feel the pressure and take appropriate action. Write to 2SM and submit a formal complaint to ACMA here: http://www.getup.org.au/campaigns/womens-rights/shame-on-blame/hold-2sm-accountable
If John Laws' comments have been traumatic for you and you would like support, please call the sexual abuse survivor’s hotline on: 1800 737 732
GetUp is an independent, not-for-profit community campaigning group. We use new technology to empower Australians to have their say on important national issues. We receive no political party or government funding, and every campaign we run is entirely supported by voluntary donations. If you'd like to contribute to help fund GetUp's work, please donate now! If you have trouble with any links in this email, please go directly to www.getup.org.au. To unsubscribe from GetUp, please click here. Authorised by Sam Mclean, Level 2, 104 Commonwealth Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010.
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