I write this piece as I lament media’s handling of the Nicole rape case controversy. As media organizations broke the news that Nicole executed an affidavit expressing doubts on her own recollection of the incident involving Daniel Smith and her eventual decision to leave the country, one particular media organization opted to do it more sensationally than the others.
I refer to a known major broadsheet that unmasked Nicole by publishing her photo without any regard for her privacy and security. I do not want to impute any ill motives on the part of the publishers of said broadsheet for their distasteful decision to publish Nicole’s photo, the publication was simply a clear show of journalistic arrogance. While there may be nothing that compels media to “hide” alleged rape victims behind aliases or by digitally covering or altering their pictures, basic human sensitivity should remind us that the Philippines is a country where the stigma of being a rape victim forever haunts the reputation of the victim, especially a woman.
Many may have felt disheartened with Nicole’s abrupt pronouncements of her recollection of the traumatic incident, but it is not a justification to trample upon a person’s cherished dignity and privacy, especially that of the supposed victim. Nicole may or may not be a victim of rape, depending on how our judicial system will adjudge her at the end of the legal process that examined her case. But one thing is now certain, she is the victim of irresponsible journalism.
Whatever reservations we have regarding the motives and decisions of Nicole to leave the country and abandon her crusade, we ought to give her the benefit of the doubt. For after all, she is still a woman, a human being, a Filipino, to whom we must give our respect for the choices she has made – rightly or wrongly, for we live in a democracy where individual freedom reigns within the bounds of the law.
I refer to a known major broadsheet that unmasked Nicole by publishing her photo without any regard for her privacy and security. I do not want to impute any ill motives on the part of the publishers of said broadsheet for their distasteful decision to publish Nicole’s photo, the publication was simply a clear show of journalistic arrogance. While there may be nothing that compels media to “hide” alleged rape victims behind aliases or by digitally covering or altering their pictures, basic human sensitivity should remind us that the Philippines is a country where the stigma of being a rape victim forever haunts the reputation of the victim, especially a woman.
Many may have felt disheartened with Nicole’s abrupt pronouncements of her recollection of the traumatic incident, but it is not a justification to trample upon a person’s cherished dignity and privacy, especially that of the supposed victim. Nicole may or may not be a victim of rape, depending on how our judicial system will adjudge her at the end of the legal process that examined her case. But one thing is now certain, she is the victim of irresponsible journalism.
Whatever reservations we have regarding the motives and decisions of Nicole to leave the country and abandon her crusade, we ought to give her the benefit of the doubt. For after all, she is still a woman, a human being, a Filipino, to whom we must give our respect for the choices she has made – rightly or wrongly, for we live in a democracy where individual freedom reigns within the bounds of the law.
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