PLATFORM : Privacy of Victims

GAIL ABARBANEL, director of the Rape Treatment Center at Santa Monica Hospital, is concerned about some news organizations ‘ decisions to identify the Florida woman allegedly raped by William Kennedy Smith, nephew of Sen. Edward Kennedy. She told The Times:

There are valid reasons for keeping the names of rape victims private. Some victims are concerned that if their name is made public before charges are brought, there would be retaliation by the rapist. We also have to consider the shame the victim feels and the stigma society attaches to rape.

Some (news organizations) treat rape differently than they handle other crime stories. In the (Florida) case, there was personal information printed about the victim, material not admissible in a criminal-court hearing. The issue in a rape story is not the victim’s childhood or life style or character. It’s whether force was used.

If the press establishes an industry-wide policy of not publishing rape victims’ names, women would be encouraged to report the crime. Ultimately, I hope we can get to a point where victims feel that they can come forward--without fear of a stigma or character assassination--and report rapes.