[net.women] Sexist judge in WISCONSIN

deb@sx1100.UUCP (Debby Axness) (05/18/85)

*** REPLACE THIS LINE WITH YOUR MESSAGE ***
Hi, I'm new to the net (about 2 months of reading and enjoying it passively)
and just read the posting about the judge whose statements in a rape trial
implied the girl was asking for it.  I remember the case well - it was 
Archie Simonson in Wisconsin, the girl was about 14 (15-16 maybe) and it
was either a miniskirt or shorts she was wearing (highly provocative,
wouldn't you say, since these are common styles again these days).  The
"honorable" judge had an entire discourse on today's morality, about how
girls and women are asking for it, the way they dressed these days, and
ended by giving a light sentence to the defendant and saying he probably
couldn't help himself.

Well - there is some slight justice after all.  The judge was soundly voted
out of office.

One other thought - it's hard for me to imagine men defending other men
by saying "they couldn't help themselves" - are women supposed to believe
that men are raving monsters not in control of their bodies?  Do men think
they are doing themselves a favor by denigrating their sex in this way?

					Debby Axness
					no fancy signature yet.

susie@uwmacc.UUCP (sue brunkow) (05/19/85)

In article <201@sx1100.UUCP> deb@sx1100.UUCP (Debby Axness) writes:
>Hi, I'm new to the net (about 2 months of reading and enjoying it passively)
>and just read the posting about the judge whose statements in a rape trial
>implied the girl was asking for it.  I remember the case well - it was 
>Archie Simonson in Wisconsin, the girl was about 14 (15-16 maybe) and it
>was either a miniskirt or shorts she was wearing (highly provocative,

   Actually, the rape took place in a high school stairwell. The girl
was wearing A SWEATSHIRT AND JEANS. Archie really did blame the rape on
the fact that `women dress so provacatively, the boy was just reacting
normally.'  Petitions started flying, and Archie was 'recalled' (thrown
off the bench.)

                                   Sue Brunkow
                              University of Wisconsin
                    {allegra,ihnp4,seismo}!uwvax!uwmacc!susie