Being pimped out online by misogynist harassers.....

[cronus]

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfre ... eaking-out

Being pimped out online by misogynist harassers will not stop me from speaking out
By Caitlin Roper

Earlier this year, Germaine Greer argued that women now are worse off than ever, citing the proliferation of pornography and the level of harassment and abuse directed toward women on social media as evidence. I tend to agree.

For a feminist campaigner like myself, threats of violence and rape have become part of the territory. I am used to being called a bitch, or a slut. I’ve been singled out by men’s rights activist group A Voice For Men after writing a piece on the media’s bias against women. I am no longer surprised when I receive unwelcome sexual comments online about my body, some of them even letting me know they are masturbating to my photograph. I am also no longer shocked when I receive rape threats while campaigning against sexual violence (the irony is not lost on me).

So it came as no huge surprise when I received rape threats this week for sharing a petition against Ched Evans. I received tweets calling me “rape bait”, “f*ck meat”, a “bitter whore”, “cum slut” who “likes it rough” and “spreads without thinking”.

When I found a copy of my Twitter profile offering sex to men on the Internet, my limit was reached. It was so close to identical it even fooled me – initially I thought my account had been hacked. My profile picture had been sent to an online community sharing images of women for masturbation purposes. My Twitter bio had been updated to include graphic descriptions of sex acts I would perform, inviting men to follow me. It also described me as “the biggest slut in Australia”. My website was changed from collectiveshout.org to a pornographic website. Various tweets were sent out in my name, claiming that I enjoyed being raped.

I was gripped with panic. There were so many thoughts running through my mind as I watched tweets going out in my name soliciting some men I knew, and others I didn’t.

And so I reluctantly went to the police station, already knowing that threats against women online are not regarded as a priority. “Why don’t you just close down your account?” asked the officer taking my statement.

I explained how I used Twitter in the course of my work for a non-profit organisation. She pressed further – “but why do you need to use it?” – as if it was somehow unreasonable for me to believe I had as much right as anyone to access social media without threats.

(continued)

[mistermack]

I can see why the police have little interest.
She's a journalist, she's making money out of being offended. She's given the wankers the oxygen of publicity, knowing full well that it's what they want.
But it suits her too. She's getting journalistic mileage out of it.

If it was anybody else, the police might be more interested. But if I was in their shoes, I would do very little too, as it's just a journalist after a story.
And they are all scum.

[Hermit]

Sure. 'The police officer suggested that the Internet was “not a very nice place”, and maybe she should stay off it.' is sound advice to female journalist scum simply because they are journalist scum. Any law enforcement officer with even just a smidgen of common sense would have said exactly that. I mean, isn't that precisely the task of the police? To put journalist scum in their rightful place?

[cronus]

Journalists are after controversy. If they can't find any they'll make it themselves. They are failed trolls. And make money from their failure by staying within the cusp of the rules they learn so well. Not saying it is right to drive women off the internet though. It'll be like hell when all there is are sex starved immature men vomiting their perverse desires online. Not my sort of future, why I avoid popular forums/social media. Liberation for women, treat them with proper respect and you've a chance....

[pErvinalia]

I can see why the police have little interest.
She's a journalist, she's making money out of being offended. She's given the wankers the oxygen of publicity, knowing full well that it's what they want.
But it suits her too. She's getting journalistic mileage out of it.

If it was anybody else, the police might be more interested. But if I was in their shoes, I would do very little too, as it's just a journalist after a story.
And they are all scum bitches who need raping.

Tell us more, old white conservative man.

[pErvinalia]

Australia has a real 'man' problem. Too much aggression too much alcohol consumption and too much sexism. The sooner we grow up as a country the better. Not holding out any hope for that soon with the current conservative bigoted government in power.

[Hermit]

Journalists are after controversy. If they can't find any they'll make it themselves. They are failed trolls. And make money from their failure by staying within the cusp of the rules they learn so well.

Yeah. Right. The likes of Bob Woodward, Carl Bernstein, David Marr and so on are all failed trolls who are after controversy. Understood.

[pErvinalia]

They all did it for the money. Like the globule worming scientists.

[cronus]

They all did it for the money. Like the globule worming scientists.

No money no pay. The more convincing they appear the less they have to try and the more dangerous and deadly their spiel in a moral panic of the masses. All appears easy now. Good guys wear white hats and bad guys black hats. In the situation of chaos to come after nukes and economic calamity then hats will be mixed as will be jackets. Things will become less clear cut on the road to genocide or something like that. Given what we know of history and knowing the end of things is nigh in all manner of ways don't expect a objective newsreader, a objective journalist, you've relied upon to be anymore reliable than me.

[pErvinalia]

Are you alright?

[cronus]

Are you all right?

No, the wife is shouty and I'm taking it out on you lot.

[pErvinalia]

Troll her on twitter.

[cronus]

Troll her on twitter.

...all quiet at the moment. Not on social media, then neither am I these days.

[JimC]

I suspect the lack of police action was more because they had no fucking clue about internet issues than because of entrenched misogyny...

[Svartalf]

can't it be a bit of both?