The idea that if a woman dresses "a certain way" she's "asking for it" is an ugly concept from the past that still lingers today. This argument was once routinely used against women who attempted to pursue legal action in cases involving rape or sexual assault. Introduced in a courtroom, it was meant to intimidate, humiliate, and cheapen the woman who'd been violated; and all too often it worked on juries that decided against her.
This "blame the victim" mentality belittles the seriousness of sexual assault and harrassment. And on ABC's popular talk show The View earlier this week, Elizabeth Hasselbeck was its latest practitioner.
Hasselbeck took issue with the costumes worn by ESPN reporter Erin Andrews as she competed on the show Dancing With the Stars. Citing Andrews' recent humiliation at the hands of a peeping Tom who took nude videos of her in a hotel room and released it on the internet, Hasselbeck said, essentially, that it was inappropriate for Andrews to compete "wearing next to nothing."
Several others on The View (particularly Joy Behar) called Hasselbeck out on this and defended Andrews, but the show's perky 'conservative' refused to back down.
The next day it was a different story as a tearful Hasselbeck told viewers it was her own daughter that convinced her otherwise. "Mommy hurt someone's feelings," is what Hasselbeck admitted to. But it goes much deeper than that.
Hurt feelings isn't the issue.
Perpetuating a stereotype about the 'kind' of woman who gets raped, or sexually assaulted, or stalked, or peeped at is what Hasselbeck is doing. And it's a terrible, damning, ignorant view by a bubble-headed former reality show contestant who feels that her Christian values put her above reproach.
Hasselbeck needs to spend some time in a rape crisis shelter, a rape hotline call center, or a hospital exam room while samples are being taken from a frightened and devastated sexual assault victim. Maybe then she'd be more compassionate and understand what sexual abuse is really about. Rape is not about sex -- it's about power.
Hasselbeck didn't simply hurt someone's feelings. She justified the fact that Erin Andrews was violated by labeling her 'that kind of woman,' the kind who was asking for it.
I'd like to see her own up to that and voluntarily commit herself to working with organizations that help women with sexual violence and trauma. Tears on a live TV show may look pretty, but they don't mean a thing when it comes to making amends. She owes survivors of rape, sexual assault, stalking, and peeping so much more.
Related articles:
Erin Andrews Violated Twice: First by Internet Video, Then By Media Who Showed It
Comments
I think her costumes do not do justice to her beauty. Personally I would have liked to be a Grace Kelly, Audrey Hehprun, or a Rosmary Cloonie,. Those girls were total class as well as sexy without the outfit she wore with only mess. It really was not pretty and asked for opions so what are you going to say 20 years from now …guess it comes fast…hope you are more than a body because it will be over …accept what people said you do not need to wear things like that and not expect promblems…grow up both of you ..get oveer yourselves.
Waiting for the day they ask a raped prison inmate, “What were you wearing”? It’s hard to imagine, in this day and age when toddlers are sold for sex on the Internet and rape is used as a daily weapon in third world countries, that our own still see it as sex.
I disagree with your take on the issue. I think that it would show some sense that if you were the target of stalking, not once but twice, you would be a little more concerned about doing something to perpetuate it again. I am not saying that the victim is to blame but, come on, show some sense. She shouldn’t run around in a robe for ever but she can dress in a way that isn’t going to provoke people. People have lost the sense of modesty. Just because you have a sexy body doesn’t mean everybody needs to see it. Most men could look at her and be fine but you some unstable ones who can’t separate what is right from what is wrong.
I have to agree with Linda, when Shawn Johnson was on DWTS and was being stalked by a mentally unstable person, no one said she was asking for it by wearing her gymnastics costume or the DWTS costumes. IF we follow the line of reasoning used by Elisabeth Hasselbeck, no woman would ever wear a bathing suit, or shorts, or yoga pants. The blame is with the criminal, not with the victim.
I just had a fight with my mom over this. I thought what Elizabeth was saying was that the guy shouldn’t have been stalking at all, but could have chosen the alternate route, which would be watching her dancing in skimpy clothes on TV from his own home…that interpretation of the joke makes the stalker look stupid, not the victim….but after the argument, I considered the source, connecting it with Elizabeth’s usual critical moralizing and realized that she probably was incinuating that her attire on DWTS is somehow indecent behavior that reflects back on “why” she was stalked…
I completely agree with this article and the fact that Erin Andrews and any woman out there should be able to wear whatever she desires and not fear being stalked or worse! Hasselbeck’s comments are reminiscent of the Salem Witch Trials which has its roots in the whole Adam and Eve tale of “woman as evil.” On an ironic note, has anyone ever addressed the slinky outfits that Hasselbeck wears on “The View?” She certainly isn’t modest in her dress.
I live in the UK and so have not seen the TV show or outfit under discussion. However it seems to me that in this endlss preoccupation with appearance and what women wear there are two separate issues being routinely confused;
Of course no woman “wants” to be stalked or raped, and therefore, whatever she happens to be wearing, cannot be “asking for it”. Of course it is reasonable to expect that even if a man is very turned on by a woman, he will be able to control himself.
But it is absurd to argue that we should be ‘blind’ to what people wear. Clothes and fashion are a huge part of our culture, and have all kinds of social and political significance, which allows us to recognise who people are, including nurses, policemen, prostitutes… So the question we should be asking is why so many women still feel that they need to dress sexily to get noticed – Erin Andrews does not appear to think just being good at dancing was enough? She must have been aware that dressing to get attention, runs the risk of attracting the wrong kind of attention. To me, pretending this is not the case is like saying you’re not going to lock your car because there shouldn’t be any car thieves. We do not live in an ideal world. There are double standards operating and I think sometimes it is women themselves, who judge each other on appearance rather than talent, esepcially with celebrities, who help create this confusing climate.
Well, of course women do not ask for it, however, and there goes that however, it doesn’t help those “sick” minds when they see women danm near naked.
And now the Beauty Pagents with their “t*ts and A** all over the place, borders on soft porn. Christ what next, nuns in bikines at church!! hmmm
It’s human nature for us to be attracted to each other, especially to people of power. These women are gorgous who wouldn’t look at them? But to take it to stalking is an addictive illness. I’m hoping someday that women will understand that they don’t have to act or look like strippers to get attention. These “performers” are on tv, their outfits are just costumes. They don’t wear them to the grocery store. Body language is very powerful and it sends a confussing message to the reader, especially from a woman to a man.
Erin Andrews makes a living moving her mouth at sporting events while guys stare at her t & a and jerk off to her later. Let’s not pretend anyone cares about her sideline skills.
#10 you said it like it is. That is the reason they hired her. The base reason. There are other reasons on top of that–and Erin Andrews can benefit with the money and the illusion that she is a serious sports reporter and I am sure she is intelligent enough to get better at her job—the #10s sentence about describes what our culture is all about.