Wednesday, February 16, 2011

The Assault on Lara Logan

I started this post yesterday, but stopped, too sad to continue.

How do you educate a mob in Egypt about sexual assault?  About rape?

Reading the details of the brutal attack, the post didn't even feel possible, might even invite reprisal somehow.  But that made me feel worse because it is so blog-worthy, there are lessons to be learned.

Lara Logan's pain is the pain of millions of men and women, her condition, Rape Trauma Syndrome (assuming she was raped) not unusual at all.  When it is a gang rape, and a victim is conscious, the post traumatic stress is seemingly endless, amplified.  Who knows how many.  And yet, you have to wonder, why?

Too sad to write, and hopeless for the first time in a long time, that we will ever see a just world; I put it away.

Then this morning, watching the CBS anchor on the morning news retell the story, I changed my mind. There are different kinds of rape, and there are different motives, and the nuances are so interesting, at least to some of us, that people should know about them.  So whether Ms. Logan was gang raped, or "merely" sexually assaulted, physically beaten, you'll have to go to Relationship Wise to read about these.

There does seem to be enlightenment of sorts, happening all over the world.  But you'd never know it sometimes, seriously.

therapydoc

16 comments:

Margo said...

I'm just so said this morning, between that story and the Bill Zeller suicide note (I'm a little behond). Mankind really seems pretty hopeless.

SustainableFamilies said...

I just wanted to throw in, I am sad about both of these things too. Just to give solidarity.

porcini66 said...

No words...just sadness and horror...

peppylady (Dora) said...

human kind at worst. I was going to say man kind.

The Writing Goddess said...

I'm sure that at least some of those who raped her were "decent" men who treat their mothers, sisters and wives with respect, yet somehow, they could put it all aside when part of a mob. Scary.

Besy wishes for Lara's full recovery in every sense possible.

insi said...

I affirm your courage, speaking from the border between "no words can fix this" and "if we don't speak out, the perpetrators win" - thank you for breaking silences and speaking up, taking a chance. We need more people like that.

xo
upsi

los angeles sex therapy said...

Only thing we can do now is pray for Laura's recovery physically, mentally, emotionally.

To the culprits who did it, lets leave these words: "Do to others what you want others to do to you."

Anonymous said...

WHO CARES STAY OUT OF HARMS WAY !
STAY IN YOUR OWN COUNTRY

Casdok said...

So very sad.

Dr. Deb said...

Being blonde makes women a significant target in the middle east. I am glad she is back home here.

Anonymous said...

I am just sad that something like this has to happen to make people listen. She is going to have a long haul ahead of her and because a group of men felt that this was necessary. Bless her and her family and give them the strength to get through this.

Rayna Eliana said...

It is a very sad statement on humankind.
~~Lorri

Jack Steiner said...

I'm sure that at least some of those who raped her were "decent" men who treat their mothers, sisters and wives with respect

I don't see any help in speculating about that sort of thing. It is tragic and inexcusable.

Anonymous said...

Joseph Telushkin has written a book of fiction, about Jewish belief called, "An Eye for An Eye". The last 2 sentences read:

"Jewish teachings insist that every innocent human life is of infinite value. Hence, the murder of one innocent person is the ultimate evil; the murder of ten more innocents increases the magnitude, not the evil."

I think we could accurately insert the word "rape" instead of murder and still project the same meaning. We will never understand the men who abused Lara Logen, because we aren't capable of doing what they did.

Anonymous said...

Hate to be politically incorrect- but Muslim countries are horrid in this sphere. Sure it can happen anywhere- but I am in the healthcare field and have had many friends and acquintances go to these countries and tell me of the horrific treatment of women which is sanctioned by these governments. I had one friend who worked in Saudi and his wife narrowly escaped a gang rape. Honor killings are even happening in the USA. These are facts.

Syd said...

Nor can I imagine the despicable acts of most of mankind. We are still barbarians in so many ways.

  Bring them home, the Homeland Concert There's not much to say. Wait, I take it back. There's SO much to say it is too much. There ...