'Occupy' memo could discourage victims from reporting assaults

[Jroc]

Protest group says it wants to be self-contained community

October 19, 2011|By Peter Hermann,

The Baltimore SunEfforts by the Occupy Baltimore protest group to evolve into a self-contained, self-governing community have erupted into controversy with the distribution of a pamphlet that victim advocates and health workers fear discourages victims of sexual assaults from contacting police.

The pamphlet says that members of the protest group who believe they are victims or who suspect sexual abuse "are encouraged to immediately report the incident to the Security Committee," which will investigate and "supply the abuser with counseling resources."

The directive also says, in part, "Though we do not encourage the involvement of the police in our community, the survivor has every right, and the support of Occupy Baltimore, to report the abuse to the appropriate authorities."

Despite this caveat, the heads of three rape crisis centers and a nurse who runs the forensic division at Mercy Medical Center called the message about not involving police dangerous. They said it contains erroneous information that could undermine efforts to convince victims to properly report crimes and get the counseling they need.

"It might actually passively prevent someone from seeking justice," said Jacqueline Robarge, the executive director of Power Inside, a nonprofit support group that helps women who have been victimized.

The hodgepodge of anti-establishment activists who have erected a tent city at the Inner Harbor as part of the broader Occupy Wall Street movement are trying to develop their own rules of conduct, developed through committees and approved by a general assembly.

"I understand that they want to transform themselves," Robarge said. "But they have to do that in the context of our culture and community. … We're talking about people's lives here."

The "security statement" appears to be one of several attempts to govern what the memo calls "our newly forming, delicate yet strong community."

Occupy Baltimore group discourages reporting rape, health advocates say - Baltimore Sun

 

[Jackson]

How nice. Now will they just bury the body when some poor girl gets her throat cut? Shhhhhh.......

It's time to get them out of the cities and live somewhere in the country where they can't bother others. Pretty soon they won't let those assaulted to leave the premises, for they might alert authorities.

And some on the left still support them. Geez.

 

[TruthSeeker56]

If a bunch of Baltimore citizens, who have jobs and families and a life, get sick and tired of the Bolsheviks who are squatting in the inner harbor area of Baltimore, and decide to go into the tent city and crack open a few "dead-heads" and take the trash to the curb, you can bet that these "occupy" turds would whine and cry to the Baltimore police and demand that arrests be made.

 

[Zander]

Everything associated with Socialism ends badly...even their protests.

 

[Jroc]

Everything associated with Socialism ends badly...even their protests.

You mean pro-Socialist...The anti socialist protest do quit well.

 

[Zander]

Everything associated with Socialism ends badly...even their protests.

You mean pro-Socialist...The anti socialist protest do quit well.

True, thanks!