Rape Victims Should Not Feel Ashamed

To all who have written or spoken objections to the teenage girls going public about their kidnapping (Aug. 7-8), I say shame on you. I say get rid of the perception that victims of rape should feel any shame.

Why should a victim be ashamed of any violation?

If the sexual abuse victims had felt no shame after being violated by priests and other members of the clergy, they might have been more apt to tell on the abusers immediately after the crimes were committed. If children feel no shame when they’re the victims of sexual abuse committed by their parents, they might be more apt to tell. It’s time to stop shaming the victims.

Mercille Wells

Thousand Oaks

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I agree wholeheartedly with columnist Steve Lopez (Aug. 7) that the appearance of the two kidnap/rape victims on TV shows the next day was exploitation at its worst by the TV shows. It does desensitize us to the ghastliness of the crimes. TV news disgusted me years ago, and I quit watching.

Mark Weber

West Hills

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It’s disgusting when law enforcement officers must face a review board after killing a kidnapper/car thief who was shooting at them (“Killing of Abductor Is Ruled Justified,” Aug. 8). It seems that our laws are giving more rights to the criminals than the victims.

John Julis

Bellflower