From a Fellow Advocate

from Angelo Trivisonno, Hotline Advocate since Spring 2009

Chicago Tribune columnist Amy Dickinson responded to a letter in her "Ask Amy" column recently... The survivor lays out a story all too familiar to us hotline advocates. Unfortunately, Ms. Dickenson doesn't give the most appropriate/helpful advice...

http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/columnists/chi-1127-ask amynov27,0,3363314.column

The response has been criticized all over the internet

http://womensrights.change.org/blog/view/dont_ask_amy_shes_a_rape_victim_blamer

but the opener is definitely the kicker: "Were you a victim? Yes. ...[Y]ou were a victim of your own awful judgment." This is followed by copy-and-paste advice from RAINN, and a final paragraph telling the survivor what she must do (get tested for STDs and pregnancy, see a counselor, confront the perpetrator).

The sad part is that this was in a national newspaper and probably read by hundreds, maybe thousands, of survivors. Hopefully, they were able to extract something useful from it, although it's presentation wasn't the best.

Not sure if this is done across Ohio yet, but we should make sure that all newspaper and media outlets know that the CRCC exists and is here to help columnists, writers, producers, etc. in addressing these very important and sensitive topics, so that nothing like this happens in an Ohio newspaper. (I know this is happening in Cleveland with Megan O'Bryan's excellent articles in the Plain Dealer!)