Comments on: To the ‘journalists’ covering the Ipswich murders… http://shoutylucy.wordpress.com/2006/12/14/to-the-journalists-covering-the-ipswich-murders/ I was once called a 'shouty feminist robot' by someone I was arguing with in a comments box. I feel this sums me up, apart from the robot bit. Mon, 18 Jun 2007 20:07:07 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Michael Goodyear http://shoutylucy.wordpress.com/2006/12/14/to-the-journalists-covering-the-ipswich-murders/#comment-951 Michael Goodyear Thu, 04 Jan 2007 01:45:28 +0000 http://shoutylucy.wordpress.com/2006/12/14/to-the-journalists-covering-the-ipswich-murders/#comment-951 Thank you for taking a position on this - I will also be making that point in the British Medical Journal on January 13th. This is what I wrote to one media source: "On behalf of all women, and in particular those in the sex trade, could you stop referring to 'murdered prostitutes'? These were young women with families, some mother's daughters, who happened to work in the sex industry, a known high risk workplace. Referring to them as murdered prostitutes dehumanises their real lives. Consider how you would report this if they were a hairdresser, journalist, lawyer etc? This issue has been debated in the media this week with a number of women journalists expressing distress at the way that women who work in prostitution are referred to as if they were less than human." Thank you for taking a position on this – I will also be making that point in the British Medical Journal on January 13th.

This is what I wrote to one media source:

“On behalf of all women, and in particular those in the sex trade, could you stop referring to ‘murdered prostitutes’? These were young women with families, some mother’s daughters, who happened to work in the sex industry, a known high
risk workplace. Referring to them as murdered prostitutes dehumanises their real lives. Consider how you would report this if they were a hairdresser, journalist, lawyer etc?

This issue has been debated in the media this week with a number of women journalists expressing distress at the way that women who work in prostitution are referred to as if they were less than human.”

]]> By: incurablehippie http://shoutylucy.wordpress.com/2006/12/14/to-the-journalists-covering-the-ipswich-murders/#comment-880 incurablehippie Wed, 27 Dec 2006 21:04:22 +0000 http://shoutylucy.wordpress.com/2006/12/14/to-the-journalists-covering-the-ipswich-murders/#comment-880 Great post. I got a response from an email to the BBC about calling the murdered women 'girls'. Have put it up <a href="http://incurable-hippie.blogspot.com/2006/12/result_27.html" rel="nofollow">here</a>. Great post. I got a response from an email to the BBC about calling the murdered women ‘girls’. Have put it up here.

]]> By: Jennifer Cascadia http://shoutylucy.wordpress.com/2006/12/14/to-the-journalists-covering-the-ipswich-murders/#comment-843 Jennifer Cascadia Sat, 23 Dec 2006 11:21:37 +0000 http://shoutylucy.wordpress.com/2006/12/14/to-the-journalists-covering-the-ipswich-murders/#comment-843 There's always an opportunity to sell advertising space next to the murdered women. There’s always an opportunity to sell advertising space next to the murdered women.

]]> By: Victoria Marinelli http://shoutylucy.wordpress.com/2006/12/14/to-the-journalists-covering-the-ipswich-murders/#comment-717 Victoria Marinelli Tue, 19 Dec 2006 08:15:30 +0000 http://shoutylucy.wordpress.com/2006/12/14/to-the-journalists-covering-the-ipswich-murders/#comment-717 Right on. Though one thing that's fascinating to me - being in the U.S. - is that <em>our</em> media is going nuts to cover this story (albeit in all the same biased, ridiculous ways you've identified above), as if we didn't have active cases of unsolved serial murders of prostituted women right here! Which, of course, we do. See, for example, this article: <a href="http://www.theage.com.au/news/world/ripper-story-not-in-the-us/2006/12/15/1166162320059.html" rel="nofollow"> Ripper story? Not in the U.S.</a> Right on.

Though one thing that’s fascinating to me – being in the U.S. – is that our media is going nuts to cover this story (albeit in all the same biased, ridiculous ways you’ve identified above), as if we didn’t have active cases of unsolved serial murders of prostituted women right here! Which, of course, we do.

See, for example, this article: Ripper story? Not in the U.S.

]]> By: puddlejumper http://shoutylucy.wordpress.com/2006/12/14/to-the-journalists-covering-the-ipswich-murders/#comment-715 puddlejumper Mon, 18 Dec 2006 20:17:33 +0000 http://shoutylucy.wordpress.com/2006/12/14/to-the-journalists-covering-the-ipswich-murders/#comment-715 I totally agree with all your complaints. But have been heartened by the fact that many of the mainstream media have picked up on the very issues you are addressing. (not the tabloids unfortunately, but we can live in hope). Good example is the Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/suffolkmurders/story/0,,1970938,00.html Watching BBC this morning, they were covering the angle that apparently the local community are "very sympathetic" towards the women. What struck me most about this was that a serious news program could be so surprised by this. Like you say, five women have died. It would take a pretty callous person not to feel sympathy. I actually think the media sell a lot of us short. I totally agree with all your complaints.

But have been heartened by the fact that many of the mainstream media have picked up on the very issues you are addressing. (not the tabloids unfortunately, but we can live in hope). Good example is the Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/suffolkmurders/story/0,,1970938,00.html

Watching BBC this morning, they were covering the angle that apparently the local community are “very sympathetic” towards the women. What struck me most about this was that a serious news program could be so surprised by this. Like you say, five women have died. It would take a pretty callous person not to feel sympathy.

I actually think the media sell a lot of us short.

]]> By: JaneDoe http://shoutylucy.wordpress.com/2006/12/14/to-the-journalists-covering-the-ipswich-murders/#comment-707 JaneDoe Mon, 18 Dec 2006 06:16:54 +0000 http://shoutylucy.wordpress.com/2006/12/14/to-the-journalists-covering-the-ipswich-murders/#comment-707 It's really horrible, isn't it? I can't help thinking what if that were my friend, my sister... Horrible. It’s really horrible, isn’t it? I can’t help thinking what if that were my friend, my sister… Horrible.

]]> By: Lucy http://shoutylucy.wordpress.com/2006/12/14/to-the-journalists-covering-the-ipswich-murders/#comment-681 Lucy Fri, 15 Dec 2006 09:25:38 +0000 http://shoutylucy.wordpress.com/2006/12/14/to-the-journalists-covering-the-ipswich-murders/#comment-681 Thanks everyone. Thanks everyone.

]]> By: witchy-woo http://shoutylucy.wordpress.com/2006/12/14/to-the-journalists-covering-the-ipswich-murders/#comment-673 witchy-woo Fri, 15 Dec 2006 02:22:02 +0000 http://shoutylucy.wordpress.com/2006/12/14/to-the-journalists-covering-the-ipswich-murders/#comment-673 Can't help but agree with you, Lucy. Can’t help but agree with you, Lucy.

]]> By: laura http://shoutylucy.wordpress.com/2006/12/14/to-the-journalists-covering-the-ipswich-murders/#comment-668 laura Thu, 14 Dec 2006 23:34:13 +0000 http://shoutylucy.wordpress.com/2006/12/14/to-the-journalists-covering-the-ipswich-murders/#comment-668 Excellent points, Lucy. And hoorah for feminist writers in The Guardian. Excellent points, Lucy. And hoorah for feminist writers in The Guardian.

]]> By: Amber http://shoutylucy.wordpress.com/2006/12/14/to-the-journalists-covering-the-ipswich-murders/#comment-667 Amber Thu, 14 Dec 2006 22:26:26 +0000 http://shoutylucy.wordpress.com/2006/12/14/to-the-journalists-covering-the-ipswich-murders/#comment-667 Hear, hear!!! Hear, hear!!!

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