Trigger Warning Campaign to put Jane Austen on UK currency inspires rape and death threats

Yorkist · Jul 30, 2013

Criado-Perez, who had met with the country’s chief cashier Chris Salmon earlier over the bank note campaign, last week called its success a “brilliant day for women.” Then the abuse started. Creepy messages saying, “I will find you,” ordering her to “stop breathing” and the classic, “Im gonna rape you, be very afraid.” She described “about 50 abusive tweets an hour for about 12 hours” and that she’d found “a nest of men who co-ordinate attacks on women.” Eventually a 21-year-old Manchester man was arrested on “suspicion of harassment.”

The article.

First thought: it's apparently just as bad across the pond as it is here.

Second thought: except that across the pond, law enforcement takes that shit seriously!

Kaiser-Kun · Jul 30, 2013

Caroline Criado-Perez

[derail] Wow, her childhood would've been horrible in a spanish-speaking country. [/derail]

Myrealana · Jul 30, 2013

Oh FFS. Stop the planet, I want to get off.

Shadow Dragon · Jul 30, 2013

Best thing about the internet: it creates an open medium for people to express their thoughts publicly.

Worst part of the internet: it creates an open medium for people to express their thoughts publicly.

little_e · Jul 30, 2013

Jezus.

blacbird · Jul 30, 2013

Wut????????????

caw

Yorkist · Jul 30, 2013

blacbird said:
Wut????????????

caw

I know, right? Third thought: girl didn't even insult their favorite video game or dragon book or whatever.

The sad thing is, I don't think this sort of online harassment is even uncommon (I remember, for instance, reading about Cracked writer ladies being harassed by an unemployed IT worker, and all the work those folks did to shut that fucker down). It's just that this one got publicity. I heard about in on NPR earlier tonight.

Is this crap... new? I always thought that, for the dudefolk, being associated with rapists was pretty much the lowest of the low, a very shameful thing. I understand the insidious nature of rape culture, and how dudes sort of ignorantly perpetuate it without knowing it when they're young, immature, and entitled, but this? WTF?

seun · Jul 31, 2013

This is pretty big news here (at least partly stoked by the tabloids being able to suggest the internet is populated by saddos and rapists). Two days ago, the historian Mary Beard was live on the radio to discuss this when a total fuckwit tweeted to her, calling her a filthy old slut and describing her vagina as 'disgusting'. Another person contacted her to say he knew the fuckwit's mother and would pass on her address if Ms Beard required it. The fuckwit immediately apologised which hasn't stopped his details being in the papers and online for a couple of days.

ETA: Link - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukn...ologises-after-threat-to-tell-his-mother.html

And a second link in case anyone wondered how much the fuckwit's house is worth. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...l-boy-sent-vile-abuse-Mary-Beard-Twitter.html

Teinz · Jul 31, 2013

Yorkist said:
I always thought that, for the dudefolk, being associated with rapists was pretty much the lowest of the low, a very shameful thing.

Indeed, it is. But there's your problem. No one knows who they are, so they don't care. As Seun pointed out, only when their identity is known, will they adjust their fuckwits' ways.

Funnily enough, the title of the next article in Salon reads: "Is online privacy a right?"

NikiK · Jul 31, 2013

Yorkist said:
Is this crap... new? I always thought that, for the dudefolk, being associated with rapists was pretty much the lowest of the low, a very shameful thing. QUOTE]

No, it's not new. It's not that they're really associating themselves personally with the rape culture, it's just that it's the worst thing they can think of to say. I've been involved with all sorts of social media for 14 years now, and this is just the tip of the iceberg. When people think they are anonymous they will act in ways they wouldn't normally act IRL.

Along with the anonymity factor, drugs and alcohol play a part in loosening inhibitions about what people put online. Just a couple of weeks ago, my DH who moderates a Facebook forum decided to put a stop to someone who was drunk posting on his forum and intimidating the female members. A polite request to stop quickly escalated to insults, threats, and mild cyberstalking that evening. The next day we had hang up phone calls after the person was banned from the group. Then he turned up again using someone else's account and began the whole thing over again. He stopped after we contacted his wife, who apparently had a chat with him.

When caught in the act, the perpetrators inevitably begin whining about their "right to free speech" being violated. Somehow they believe that their freedom of speech takes precedence over anyone else's right to feel safe online or to speak freely themselves. Unfortunately there are very few recourses for victims of this type of abuse in many jurisdictions other than being intimidated into silence. The internet loses many brilliant voices every day because of the actions of a few fuckwits.

mirandashell · Jul 31, 2013

And with social media, I don't think geography really applies anymore does it?

veinglory · Jul 31, 2013

People still tend to engage along geographical lines. Especially when the campaign is country specific (to change bank notes).

Alpha Echo · Jul 31, 2013

This is the first I heard of the harassment. I will admit to finding it a strange idea to put Jane Austen on money, but...geez. I just don't even know what to say.

I will say it would be nice if the US cracked down on this shit like the UK seems to be doing.

This guy really had nothing better to do with his time than spout bullshit like this? Just ridiculous. I cannot comprehend it.

mirandashell · Jul 31, 2013

Really? I wouldn't have thought trolls and WUMs would be that bothered.

mirandashell · Jul 31, 2013

Alpha Echo said:
This is the first I heard of the harassment. I will admit to finding it a strange idea to put Jane Austen on money, but...geez. I just don't even know what to say.

Can I ask why?

ETA: I can think of women I would prefer to put on the money, such as Rosalind Franklin or Ada Lovelace, but I don't mind JA being on it. It was Elizabeth Fry before her.

robjvargas · Jul 31, 2013

Alpha Echo said:
I will say it would be nice if the US cracked down on this shit like the UK seems to be doing.

Crack down on what, exactly? Private forums do what private forums do. That's one thing.

But should government intervene when someone's being an ass? I understand that in this case, the guy made an actual, physical threat. But that's already actionable.

Recall the recent case out of Texas where a 19-year-old was charged with making terrorist threats?

<LINK>

So I'm not disagreeing with you. Just not sure what crackdown you're advocating.

Alpha Echo · Jul 31, 2013

mirandashell said:
Can I ask why?

ETA: I can think of women I would prefer to put on the money, such as Rosalind Franklin or Ada Lovelace, but I don't mind JA being on it. It was Elizabeth Fry before her.

I think Jane Austen is amazing, I guess...I'm just used to Presidents being on ours, you know? So..the idea of a non-political leader seemed odd. It has nothing to do with her being a woman!

Though I just Googled it to make sure I wasn't totally wrong and saw that Susan B. Anthony has been on the Silver Dollar twice and Sacagewea has been on the Golded Dollar twice. Susan B. Anthony was a political leader, Sacagewea, not so much, but I wasn't even aware they were on the coins!

I really thought it was just Presidents!

mirandashell · Jul 31, 2013

No, I didn't think it was because she's a woman, I thought it was personal to JA! We've never had political leaders on our money, I don't think. It's because the Treasury used to belong to the Crown rather than the government and having the Queen and whoever is PM at the time would be considered too political. So we have scientists, writers, musicians, prison reformers etc.....

Alpha Echo · Jul 31, 2013

mirandashell said:
No, I didn't think it was because she's a woman, I thought it was personal to JA! We've never had political leaders on our money, I don't think. It's because the Treasury used to belong to the Crown rather than the government and having the Queen and whoever is PM at the time would be considered too political. So we have scientists, writers, musicians, prison reformers etc.....

Ah, see, I had no idea. Thanks for teaching me something new! And honestly, I think that's pretty cool. I think those people make more of a positive impact on society anyway. So that makes more sense then President heads.

Rachel77 · Jul 31, 2013

Alpha Echo said:
I think Jane Austen is amazing, I guess...I'm just used to Presidents being on ours, you know? So..the idea of a non-political leader seemed odd. It has nothing to do with her being a woman!

Though I just Googled it to make sure I wasn't totally wrong and saw that Susan B. Anthony has been on the Silver Dollar twice and Sacagewea has been on the Golded Dollar twice. Susan B. Anthony was a political leader, Sacagewea, not so much, but I wasn't even aware they were on the coins!

I really thought it was just Presidents!

Alexander Hamilton wasn't a US President, and he's on the $10 bill.

williemeikle · Jul 31, 2013

Rachel77 said:
Alexander Hamilton wasn't a US President, and he's on the $10 bill.

Neither was Benjamin Franklin

William Haskins · Jul 31, 2013

cross-posted w/ willie...

Myrealana · Jul 31, 2013

Alpha Echo said:
I think Jane Austen is amazing, I guess...I'm just used to Presidents being on ours, you know? So..the idea of a non-political leader seemed odd. It has nothing to do with her being a woman!

Though I just Googled it to make sure I wasn't totally wrong and saw that Susan B. Anthony has been on the Silver Dollar twice and Sacagewea has been on the Golded Dollar twice. Susan B. Anthony was a political leader, Sacagewea, not so much, but I wasn't even aware they were on the coins!

I really thought it was just Presidents!

IIRC, all the notes have the Queen on the face, and someone historical on the reverse. They rotate them occasionally.

AVS · Jul 31, 2013

Law of large numbers. In an open access system with millions of folk signed up to it, you will always get the nasty attention seeking numpty. The proportion of dullards is vanishingly small in percentage terms. I prefer to try and think of the millions who say nothing or comment positively. But that doesn't get the headlines and never will.

mirandashell · Jul 31, 2013

For anyone who is interested:

http://www.bankofengland.co.uk/banknotes/Pages/current/historical.aspx

Trigger Warning Campaign to put Jane Austen on UK currency inspires rape and death threats

Yorkist

Kaiser-Kun

!

Myrealana

I aim to misbehave

Shadow Dragon

little_e

Trust: that most precious coin.

blacbird

Yorkist

seun

Horror Man

Teinz

Back at it again.

NikiK

mirandashell

veinglory

volitare nequeo

Alpha Echo

I should be writing.

mirandashell

mirandashell

robjvargas

Alpha Echo

I should be writing.

mirandashell

Alpha Echo

I should be writing.

Rachel77

williemeikle

The force is strong in this one.

William Haskins

poet

Myrealana

I aim to misbehave

AVS

mirandashell

*Trigger Warning* Campaign to put Jane Austen on UK currency inspires rape and death threats

!

I aim to misbehave

Trust: that most precious coin.

Horror Man

Back at it again.

volitare nequeo

I should be writing.

I should be writing.

I should be writing.

The force is strong in this one.

poet

I aim to misbehave

Trigger Warning Campaign to put Jane Austen on UK currency inspires rape and death threats