Once upon a time, feminist writers at Salon and Washington City Paper were pushing a study that found women weren’t being given date-rape drugs in large quantities, and requesting the myth be put to rest.
But that was so 2009.
Now, when scholar Caroline Kitchens of the conservative American Enterprise Institute posts a video citing exactly the same study, she’s excoriated as a rape apologist — even by writers at Salon.
“Conservative think tank to women: Stop being so worried about roofies, drink less alcohol,” was the Salon headline attacking Kitchens.
Salon writer Jenny Kutner accused Kitchens of “rape apologia” because she said the most common “drug” found in victims of sexual assault is alcohol. Of course, that’s a fact, not a defense of rapists, but whatever.
Jezebel was much more critical in their headline, writing “Conservative think tank: You dumb broads worry too much about roofies.”
Talking Points Memo took a break from writing about Sarah Palin this week to criticize the computer-animated reenactment in the video. Its piece was titled “Conservative think tank’s bizarre video: Ladies, don’t worry about roofies.”
When you can’t go after the facts, you go after the person behind them. That’s what’s happening here. Kitchens works for a conservative organization that regularly dispels deep-held feminist beliefs, so even when she agrees with feminists, they have to find a reason to attack her.
