MSNBC recently reported on a Facebook stalker who posed as a sorority
alum in order to get private information from current college students.
The stalker, apparently feeling he had some authority over the sorority,
contacted real sorority girls, and demanded from them personal
information and nude pictures, implying they would advance in their
sorority if they turned over said information. While some girls
refrained from sending their photos, others did. One of the victims,
Ashley, went straight to the police to report what had happened.
Unfortunately, the Facebook stalker has yet to be caught.
With
stories like these popping up left and write, it’s important we remember
we should not to blame the victims for these happenings. Even though it
is recommended users refrain from putting personal information on their
Facebook profiles, people are not at blame people when this information
gets out. Instead, we need to catch stalkers like this one and
prosecute them. They are the ones truly in the wrong.
But the
problem of victim blaming extends beyond the world of Facebook stalking.
When looking at rape cases, it’s important not to blame the victim for
whatever happened. Our society a the habit of bringing up what a woman
was wearing or the suggestive comment she made prior to being raped, and
thus determines she’s fault. This tendency is ultimately degrading to
both men and women. It suggests that women are just sex objects who
deserve to be raped depending on outfit or speech, people ready to
service men because of the mini-skirt they’re wearing. Victim blaming
also harms men, though, by suggesting all they want is sex; they’re
animals who can’t control themselves. We need to focus on the
perpetrator's actions and avoid making assumptions about such
complicated situations. Only then will an open dialogue take place, and
the problems of rape, stalking and beyond be solved.
Link to original article: http://jezebel.com/5704278/sorority-girls-duped-by-pervy-facebook-stalker
—PAVE Volunteer Kristine Omen
