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'To combat sexual assault, colleges say yes to affirmative consent'

Discussion in 'Sports and News' started by Dick Whitman, Nov 1, 2015.

  1. Dick Whitman

    Dick Whitman Well-Known Member

    I'm not sure how an editor allows the following sentence into print. No details about the poll. Reports its finding as fact. Doesn't define "unwanted advances." And what constitutes "widespread"? Who decided that?

    As bad as Sabrina Erdely's journalistic malpractice was, this kind of sloppy, biased presentation choice, tucked discreetly into a lengthy piece, also contributes to the serial misinforming of the public.

    "Sexual misconduct - including stalking, exploitation and other forms of harassment - is widespread on college campuses. The Association of American Universities recently polled more than 150,000 students at 27 institutions and found that 23.1 percent - nearly 1 in 4 - of undergraduate women and 5.4 percent of men had experienced some kind of unwanted advances."

    To combat sexual assault, colleges say yes to affirmative consent
     
    YankeeFan likes this.
  2. bigpern23

    bigpern23 Well-Known Member

    I haven't yet read the piece, but just addressing the sentence you singled out, I agree that "unwanted advances" is far too vague. As for "widespread," the poll finding would support the use of the word.
     
  3. MisterCreosote

    MisterCreosote Well-Known Member

    All those women are lying or too stupid to realize they actually did consent.

    Thank god men are getting involved to set the record straight.
     
  4. Vombatus

    Vombatus Well-Known Member

    Too vague. Maybe 23.1 percent of campus women are lesbians.
     
  5. Dick Whitman

    Dick Whitman Well-Known Member

    I think there's a kind of arrogance that creeps into journalism: "We cut through the bullshit."

    You saw it in all the headlines reporting that bacon is "in the same category" of carcinogen "as smoking."

    The arrogance actually leads to misinformation, because journalists often think that reporting the nuance in these polls and statistics is just double speak. Simplifying is great. Simplifying something into inaccuracy is not.

    It's why Nate Silver was able to step up and kick the shit out of everyone.
     
    YankeeFan likes this.
  6. MisterCreosote

    MisterCreosote Well-Known Member

  7. Smash Williams

    Smash Williams Well-Known Member

    Lord, do I hate the term mansplaining. As a woman who hates when phrases get unnecessarily gendered to be used as an insult ("You throw like a girl!"), I think perhaps the least useful thing to do is embrace derogatory, gendered phrases aimed at others. It's extra fun when men throw it around as if they expect women not to be able to stand up for themselves if they feel a guy is blowing smoke.

    As far as this story, I agree with the premise that polls like this need to be explained more fully, though I do think journalists in general can fall victim to simply parroting study/poll results across all fields without putting in the necessary caveats (a good example from recently is the hot dogs/bacon are carcinogens story without explaining other common things in this class are alcohol, salted fish and medical contraceptives). It's certainly not limited to this field of reporting.

    I also think equating sexual harassment to "unwanted advances" is misleading for this particular sentence and doesn't accurately represent the poll itself. Wasn't one of the things that got included as sexual misconduct on this poll actions that occurred without affirmative consent?
     
    Donny in his element likes this.
  8. da man

    da man Well-Known Member

    They really blew the lid off nookie.
     
  9. zagoshe

    zagoshe Well-Known Member

    "Hey I was wondering if you want to go to the movies tonight?"

    "Nope"

    UNWANTED ADVANCE!!!!!!
     
  10. Dick Whitman

    Dick Whitman Well-Known Member

    One of these polls had "unwanted attempted kissing" as a form of sexual assault.
     
  11. zagoshe

    zagoshe Well-Known Member

    "I got drunk and had sex. Then I woke up and realized I really didn't want to."

    "Well did you say no"

    "No, I remember saying yes and taking off my clothes myself, but in retrospect I really didn't want to...."

    YOU WERE RAPED!!!
     
  12. Ace

    Ace Well-Known Member

    It certainly would be in certain circumstances.
     
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