Good morning.

Because of this letter from the rapist’s father, the rapist, a white boy, only got 6 months in a jail and a 3 year probation. As many of you stated, I will reiterate, “This would never be the case for an OTW.”

Full Letter to the Judge by Dan Turner, Brock’s The rapist’s Father

Honorable Judge Aaron Persky,

I am writing this letter to tell you about my son Brock and the person that I know he is. First of all, let me say that Brock is absolutely devastated by the events of January 17th and 18th 2015. He would do anything to turn back the hands of time and have that night to do over again. In many one-on-one conversations with Brock since that day, I can tell you that he is truly sorry for what occurred that night and for all the pain and suffering that it has caused for all of those involved and impacted by that night. He has expressed true remorse for his actions on that night. Living under that same roof with Brock since this incident, I can tell you firsthand the devastating impact that it has had on my son. Before I elaborate more, I would like to share some memories of my son that demonstrate the quality of his character.

Brock has an easygoing personality that endears him to almost everyone he meets. He has always been a person that people like to be around whether they are male or female. This has been true from the time Brock was in pre-school to today. I have never seen Brock raise his voice to anyone and he doesn’t pre-judge anyone. He accepts them for who they are no more, no less. He has a very gentle and quiet nature and a smile that is truly welcoming to those around him. I have never once heard him brag or boast about any accomplishment that he has ever achieved. He is simply a very humble person who would rather hear about someone else’s accomplishments rather than talk about his own. Brock has an inner strength and fortitude that is beyond anything I have ever seen. This was no doubt honed over many years of competitive swimming and has been a major reason for his ability to cope over the last 15 months.

Brock has always been an extremely dedicated person whether it was academics, Sports, or developing and maintaining friendships and relationships. Brock’s dedication to academics started early in grade school. My fondest memory is of helping Brock prepare for his weekly Spelling test. Doing well on these tests was very important to Brock and he would start preparing the day before by memorizing the words and making sure he had everything together in his mind. I would have to quiz him over and over just so he was sure he would do well on the test. He would make me give him a final preparation quiz as we drove to school on Friday mornings. I can assure you that Brock always did well on these exams. While this example may seem trivial, it was an early indicator of the importance he placed on academic achievement that never left him. As he got older and progressed in school, he needed my intervention less and less as he is gifted in his ability to understand very complicated subject matter. This natural ability along with an extremely strong work ethic lead to academic success at all levels.

Brock was equally talented in athletics participating in baseball, basketball, and swimming. I was his baseball and basketball coach and his Cub Scout den leader for many years during his grade school years. I was so proud to participate and serve as his coach and leader as it meant that I got to spend more time with him. I was also a parent chaperone for many school outings and often times was the only dad along on these field trips. For me, I loved every minute of it because Brock was a pleasure to be around and he always treated the other kids, parents, and teachers with-respect. I will cherish the memories of those years forever.

In the late summer before Brock’s senior year in high school, he applied to Stanford with the dream of taking both his academic and athletic talents to the next level. Brock had a large amount of interest from many Division-1 coaches due to his swimming success and outstanding grades in school. Many college coaches pursued Brock based on the entire body of work that he represented. However, Stanford was always the apple of his and the ultimate prize for someone who had worked so hard for so long. Brock and first visited Stanford in the summer of 2011 between his freshman and sophomore years in high school. Brock was there to compete in his first national level swim meet called the USA Junior Nationals. We were both totally in awe of the campus, the swimming facilities, and the rich history that the university represented. I remember commenting to Brock at the time that wouldn’t this be a great place to go to school. it was swimmers that had attended Stanford. This first exposure to Stanford made a lasting impression on Brock. Our family was full of pride and joy when we found out in the fall of 2013 that Brock had been accepted to Stanford. This was a culminating event for Brock as we knew how much work he had put in to get to that’ point. The thing that made Us most proud .was the fact that Brock had to be accepted academically before he could be considered for an athletic scholarship. This was especially significant given Stanford’s 4% acceptance rate for that particular year. Brock was awarded a 60% swimming scholarship by the university. Even with such a generous offer, my wife and I both knew it would be a financial struggle for our family for Brock to attend Stanford, but we were determined to make it work because we knew the value of a Stanford education. As Brock’s senior year passed, he was characteristically humble about being admitted to Stanford and continued to work hard until the very last minute of high school on academics and swimming.

When Carleen and I took Brock to Stanford in September 2014 to begin his freshman year, we both felt he was totally prepared for the experience. He had been to many national level swim camps and meets and was comfortable being away from home. We were very excited for Brock as he settled into Stanford during that first quarter as a brand new student athlete. He excelled in school that quarter earning the top GPA for all freshmen on the swim team. What we didn’t realize was the extent to which Brock was struggling being so far from home. Brock was working hard to adapt to the rigors of both school and swimming. When Brock was home during Christmas break, he broke down and told us how much he was struggling to fit in socially and the fact that he did not like being so far from home. Brock was nearly-distraught knowing that he had to return early from Christmas break for swimming training camp. We even questioned whether it was the right move to send him back to Stanford for the winter quarter. In hindsight, it’s clear that Brock was desperately trying to fit in at Stanford and fell into the culture of alcohol consumption and partying. This culture was modeled by many of the upperclassmen on the swim team and played a role in the events of Jan 17th and 18th 2015. Looking back at Brock’s brief experience at Stanford, I honestly don’t believe it was the best fit for him. He was ready academically and athletically, but it was simply too far from home for someone who was born and raised in the Midwest. He needed the support structure of being closer to family and friends.

As it stands now, Brock’s life has been deeply altered forever by the events of Jan 17th and 18th. He will never be his happy go lucky self with that easy going personality and welcoming smile. His every waking minute is consumed with worry, anxiety, fear, and depression. You can see this in his face, the way he walks, his weakened voice, his lack of appetite. Brock always enjoyed certain types of food and is a very good cook himself. I was always excited to buy him a big ribeye steak to grill or to get his favorite snack for him. I had to make sure to hide some of my favorite pretzels or chips because I knew they wouldn’t be around long after Brock walked in from a long swim practice. Now he barely consumes any food and eats only to exist. These verdicts have broken and shattered him and our family in so many ways. His life will never be the one that he dreamed about and worked so hard to achieve. That is a steep price to pay for 20 minutes of action out of his 20 plus years of life. The fact that he now has to register as a sexual offender for the rest of his life forever alters where he can live, visit, work, and how he will be able to interact with people and organizations. What I know as his father is that incarceration is not the appropriate punishment for Brock. He has no prior criminal history and has never been violent to anyone including his actions on the night of Jan 17th 2015. Brock can do so many positive things as a contributor to society and is totally committed to educating other college age students about the dangers of alcohol consumption and sexual promiscuity. By having people like Brock educate others on college campuses is how society can begin to break the cycle of binge drinking and its unfortunate results. Probation is the best answer for Brock in this situation and allows him to give back to society in a net positive way.

Very Respectfully,

Dan A. Turner

******

Readers: Speak your mind as you always do.

Blog me. 

Mike, TM: Thanks for putting so much effort to post that write regarding white power pumping up their numbers when it comes to the white vote, on the blog. I read it and am HOPEing that everyone else did too. If you happen to read more of those false claims, please post it here. Thanks.

Social Butterfly: Those are sick and scary stats.

Janet: That is exactly what we need to do. November will be upon us soon, and that will be our chance.

Alfonso: Yes, she should be. However “country first” doesn’t apply here. If it did, we wouldn’t be having Trump trail this close behind. No logical and sane white woman would vote for him. As we used to say here, “White women will go kicking and screaming to their freedom.” And many men  would rather see this country go to shit in the proverbial hand-basket, than see a woman become president.

Ivan: Your comment made me laugh because you said the obvious with such simple words. Where are you from?

Doris: Don’t lose faith. Things will change with Hillary as long as we make sure that she has long coattails. And it’s up to us on election day to give them to her. In order to do that we need to do as Lydia says and vote out the republicans who are in support of the NRA, the sales of automatic rifles, etc., etc., etc.

Julie: I read that update too. And you’re right, it doesn’t change it much.

Peace out. 

Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.

Gratefully your blog host,

michelle

Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)

If you love my blog and my writes, please make a donation via PayPal, credit card, or e-check, please click the “Donate” button below. (Please only donations from those readers within the United States. – International readers please see my “Donate” page)

Or if you would like to send a check via snail mail, please make checks payable to “Michelle Moquin”, and send to:

Michelle Moquin PO Box 29235 San Francisco, Ca. 94129

Thank you for your loyal support!

All content on this site are property of Michelle Moquin © copyright 2008-2016

“Though she be but little, she be fierce.” – William Shakespeare Midsummer Night’s Dream 

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Good morning.

From Think Progress:

Please read in order of my posting.

The NRA’s Love Affair With The AR-15, Weapon Of Choice For Mass Murderers, In 22 Tweets

The powerful AR-15 is becoming the weapon of choice for mass murderers.

It was used at Sandy Hook Elementary, where Adam Lanza killed 27 people, including 20 first graders. It was used in San Bernardino, where Syed Farook killed 14 people. And it was used in Orlando, where Omar Mateen killed 49 people.

The weapon, originally intended for military use, is capable of…   Click here to read more.

2.

This Is The Gun That Committed The Deadliest Shooting In U.S. History

How was Omar Saddiqui Mateen able to carry out the deadliest massacre by a single gunman in U.S. history? By bringing “America’s gun of choice” into a closed and crowded space.

Orlando police recovered an AR-15-style semiautomatic rifle at Pulse, the gay nightclub that Mateen chose as his target. He reportedly bought the AR-15 and a handgun legally within the last few days.

Without the semiautomatic rifle, which allows a shooter… Click here to read more.

3.

The Role Of Toxic Masculinity In Mass Shootings

The man who committed the deadliest mass shooting by a lone gunman in U.S. history had a history of domestic violence and disrespecting women, according to people who were close to him. The emerging details about Omar Mateen fit into a bigger and often overlooked pattern of violence in this country, in which crimes against female partners often escalate to crimes against greater numbers of people.

Mateen, who opened fire at a gay nightclub in Orlando early Sunday morning — killing 49 people and wounding 53 others — used to abuse… Click here to read more.

!!!!!

Well? 

Blog me. 

Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.

Gratefully your blog host,

michelle

Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)

If you love my blog and my writes, please make a donation via PayPal, credit card, or e-check, please click the “Donate” button below. (Please only donations from those readers within the United States. – International readers please see my “Donate” page)

Or if you would like to send a check via snail mail, please make checks payable to “Michelle Moquin”, and send to:

Michelle Moquin PO Box 29235 San Francisco, Ca. 94129

Thank you for your loyal support!

All content on this site are property of Michelle Moquin © copyright 2008-2016

“Though she be but little, she be fierce.” – William Shakespeare Midsummer Night’s Dream 

" Politics, god, Life, News, Music, Family, Personal, Travel, Random, Photography, Religion, Aliens, Art, Entertainment, Food, Books, Thoughts, Media, Culture, Love, Sex, Poetry, Prose, Friends, Technology, Humor, Health, Writing, Events, Movies, Sports, Video, Christianity, Atheist, Blogging, History, Work, Education, Business, Fashion, Barack Obama, People, Internet, Relationships, Faith, Photos, Videos, Hillary Clinton, School, Reviews, God, TV, Philosophy, Fun, Science, Environment, Design, The Page, Rants, Pictures, Church, Blog, Nature, Marketing, Television, Democrats, Parenting, Miscellaneous, Current Events, Film, Spirituality, Obama, Musings, Home, Human Rights, Society, Comedy, Me, Random Thoughts, Research, Government, Election 2008, Baseball, Opinion, Recipes, Children, Iraq, Funny, Women, Economics, America, Misc, Commentary, John McCain, Reflections, All, Celebrities, Inspiration, Lifestyle, Theology, Linux, Kids, Games, World, India, Literature, China, Ramblings, Fitness, Money, Review, War, Articles, Economy, Journal, Quotes, NBA, Crime, Anime, Islam, 2008, Stories, Prayer, Diary, Jesus, Buddha, Muslim, Israel, Europe, Links, Marriage, Fiction, American Idol, Software, Leadership, Pop culture, Rants, Video Games, Republicans, Updates, Political, Football, Healing, Blogs, Shopping, USA, Class, Matrix, Course, Work, Web 2.0, My Life, Psychology, Gay, Happiness, Advertising, Field Hockey, Hip-hop, sex, fucking, ass, Soccer, sox"

Good morning.

Readers: This has been out for a few days now so I’m sure that many of you have heard and read about it. I’m posting it because it infuriates me just as much as it did when I first heard about it. I feel it needs more net time so here it is…

…From the Wash Po:

“His life will never be the one that he dreamed about and worked so hard to achieve,” Dan A. Turner wrote in a letter arguing that his son should receive probation, not jail time. “That is a steep price to pay for 20 minutes of action out of his 20 plus years of life.”

“He will never be his happy go lucky self with that easy going personality and welcoming smile,” the letter says, noting that the former Olympic hopeful is now a registered sex offender.

In an interview with The Washington Post early Monday morning, Santa Clara District Attorney Jeff Rosen confirmed that the letter had been submitted to the court before Turner’s sentencing last week and criticized the letter for reducing a brutal sexual assault to “20 minutes of action.” He also slammed Turner and his father for refusing to own up to the crime.

“To this day, the defendant denies what he did,” Rosen said, adding that Turner “preyed upon” his victim and displayed violence.

Brock Turner’s attorney did not return The Post’s request for comment regarding Dan Turner’s letter.

The controversial letter emerged three days after prosecutors released another letter, this one written by the victim, who has not been named.

The two letters stand in stark contrast. While Dan Turner’s has been described as myopic, the victim’s has been called powerful and moving.

The victim’s letter begins by bluntly addressing her attacker.

“You don’t know me, but you’ve been inside me, and that’s why we’re here today,” she read in court. She then described how she decided to attend a party so she could spend time with her younger sister.

[The Swedish Stanford students who rescued an unconscious sexual assault victim speak out]

“I made silly faces, let my guard down, and drank liquor too fast not factoring in that my tolerance had significantly lowered since college,” she said. “The next thing I remember I was in a gurney in a hallway. I had dried blood and bandages on the backs of my hands and elbow. I thought maybe I had fallen and was in an admin office on campus. I was very calm and wondering where my sister was. A deputy explained I had been assaulted. I still remained calm, assured he was speaking to the wrong person. I knew no one at this party. When I was finally allowed to use the restroom, I pulled down the hospital pants they had given me, went to pull down my underwear, and felt nothing.”

She described in painful detail how the hospital staff documented her assault with probes and swabs, “shots, pills, had a nikon pointed right into my spread legs. …

“I wanted to take off my body like a jacket and leave it at the hospital with everything else.”

She described Turner as a predator picking off “the wounded antelope of the herd, completely alone and vulnerable, physically unable to fend for myself. …”

She added: “Sometimes I think, if I hadn’t gone, then this never would’ve happened. But then I realized, it would have happened, just to somebody else. You were about to enter four years of access to drunk girls and parties, and if this is the foot you started off on, then it is right you did not continue.”

“You do not get to shrug your shoulders and be confused anymore,” she said of his conviction. “You have been convicted of violating me with malicious intent, and all you can admit to is consuming alcohol. Do not talk about the sad way your life was upturned because alcohol made you do bad things.”

And yet, that is essentially the tone of Turner’s father’s letter.

Dan Turner’s letter begins with brisk reference to the sexual assault.

“First of all, let me say that Brock is absolutely devastated by the events of January 17th and 18th 2015,” it says. “He would do anything to turn back the hands of time and have that night to do over again. In many one-on-one conversations with Brock since that day, I can tell you that he is truly sorry for what occurred that night and for all the pain and suffering that it has caused for all those involved and impacted by that night. He has expressed true remorse for his actions on that night.”

Rosen said, however, that Brock Turner never accepted responsibility for the assault. Had he done so, prosecutors probably would have agreed to a sentence of less than six years.

Dan Turner’s letter then launches into a description of his son’s “easygoing personality” and the “inner strength” that made him such a good swimmer.

Dan Turner said he and his son were “totally in awe” of Stanford’s campus, and noted with pride the school’s 4 percent acceptance rate.

Turner then described his son not as a sexual predator, but as a victim.

“He excelled in school that quarter earning the top GPA for all freshmen on the swim team,” the father wrote in his letter. “What we didn’t realize was the extent to which Brock was struggling being so far from home. … When Brock was home during the Christmas break, he broke down and told us how much he was struggling to fit in socially.

“In hindsight, it’s clear that Brock was desperately trying to fit in at Stanford and fell into the culture of alcohol consumption and partying,” Dan Turner concluded. “This culture was modeled by many of the upperclassmen on the swim team and played a role in the events of Jan 17th and 18th 2015.”

During the trial, prosecutors had argued that Brock Turner was part of a bigger problem.

“He may not look like a rapist, but he is the … face of campus sexual assault,” Deputy District Attorney Alaleh Kianerci told the jury, according to the San Jose Mercury News.

In his letter to the judge, however, Dan Turner appeared to be flipping this script, using the pervasiveness of the problem as a shield to hide his son’s personal responsibility.

The Internet was not having it.

Prompting particular social media outrage was the way Dan Turner portrayed his son’s suffering.

“His every waking minute is consumed with worry, anxiety, fear, and depression,” the father wrote. “You can see this in his face, the way he walks, his weakened voice, his lack of appetite. Brock always enjoyed certain types of food and is a very good cook himself. I was always excited to buy him a big ribeye steak to grill or to get his favorite steak for him. … Now he barely consumes any food and eats only to exist.”

Others also focused on the almost flippant reference to “20 minutes of action.”

The letter, which was first published by liberal website ThinkProgess, makes no explicit reference to Brock Turner’s victim, meanwhile.

Despite what critics called its tone-deafness, however, the letter apparently worked.

Judge Aaron Persky agreed with probation officials’ recommendation that Turner receive only six months in jail.

“A prison sentence would have a severe impact on him. … I think he will not be a danger to others,” the judge said, citing Turner’s youth and lack of criminal record, the Guardian reported.

That ruling has also made Persky a target of public ire. In the days since his decision, a Change.org petition calling for his removal has gathered almost 12,000 signatures. The petition also called for someone to challenge Persky in an upcoming election, in which he is currently unopposed.

Rosen said he was disappointed that Persky did not sentence Turner to more time.

At the same time, the prosecutor said he saw a silver lining in how the case and Turner’s lenient sentence had “led to a frank discussion about how to prevent campus sexual assault and what those campuses should do when it happens.

“Honestly, what has helped to create such national attention in this case is the eloquence of the victim,” he added. “Never in my 20 years as a prosecutor have I seen a more eloquent victim statement.”

Rosen said her letter had done more than just tell her tale. It had “come to represent the truth of thousands of sexual assault victims have experienced as well.”

Indeed, her letter slammed Brock Turner for his solipsism.

“You said, I want to show people that one night of drinking can ruin a life,” she wrote.

“Ruin a life, one life, yours, you forgot about mine. Let me rephrase for you, I want to show people that one night of drinking can ruin two lives. You and me. You are the cause, I am the effect. …

“You have dragged me through this hell with you, dipped me back into that night again and again. You knocked down both our towers, I collapsed at the same time you did. Your damage was concrete; stripped of titles, degrees, enrollment. My damage was internal, unseen, I carry it with me. You took away my worth, my privacy, my energy, my time, my safety, my intimacy, my confidence, my own voice, until today.”

*****

Readers: Read my lips- Who gives a fuck if his life won’t be the same? Don’t do the disgusting dirty deed and you won’t put yourself in the position of ruining your life. But no, boys and men do it anyway and then pull this “Feel sorry for me,” “My life will be ruined” routine.

So sick of perpetrators not taking responsibility for their actions, and then getting backed from others (Family, the government, etc.) by the actions, really lack of actions, that are taken against them.

What about the impact on the victim? Oh…come on, it was only ”20 minutes of action” – Get over it – No big deal – Move on.  I can tell you these words coming from a man is not new. I have girlfriends in my life who have been raped and molested while fathers stood by and told them to get over it. Sickening. This man, his father, is no different. Makes me think, “Gee if this happened to your daughter, would you accept the same words from the father of her rapist? Would you be fine with such a soft sentence?”

What about the impact on young men? “Hell yeah..if he can get away with it, I can too.” You know they’re thinking that. Until men, young and old, are given a stiff (no pun intended) sentence for the atrocities they commit, they will continue to rape and molest women because: 1) They don’t think they’ll get caught, and 2) If they do the punishment won’t be sever (eh…I meant “severe,” but hey I guess “sever” would unfortunately work too.) So hey, it’s worth the risk, right?

Thoughts? Blog me. 

Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.

Gratefully your blog host,

michelle

Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)

If you love my blog and my writes, please make a donation via PayPal, credit card, or e-check, please click the “Donate” button below. (Please only donations from those readers within the United States. – International readers please see my “Donate” page)

Or if you would like to send a check via snail mail, please make checks payable to “Michelle Moquin”, and send to:

Michelle Moquin PO Box 29235 San Francisco, Ca. 94129

Thank you for your loyal support!

All content on this site are property of Michelle Moquin © copyright 2008-2016

“Though she be but little, she be fierce.” – William Shakespeare Midsummer Night’s Dream 

" Politics, god, Life, News, Music, Family, Personal, Travel, Random, Photography, Religion, Aliens, Art, Entertainment, Food, Books, Thoughts, Media, Culture, Love, Sex, Poetry, Prose, Friends, Technology, Humor, Health, Writing, Events, Movies, Sports, Video, Christianity, Atheist, Blogging, History, Work, Education, Business, Fashion, Barack Obama, People, Internet, Relationships, Faith, Photos, Videos, Hillary Clinton, School, Reviews, God, TV, Philosophy, Fun, Science, Environment, Design, The Page, Rants, Pictures, Church, Blog, Nature, Marketing, Television, Democrats, Parenting, Miscellaneous, Current Events, Film, Spirituality, Obama, Musings, Home, Human Rights, Society, Comedy, Me, Random Thoughts, Research, Government, Election 2008, Baseball, Opinion, Recipes, Children, Iraq, Funny, Women, Economics, America, Misc, Commentary, John McCain, Reflections, All, Celebrities, Inspiration, Lifestyle, Theology, Linux, Kids, Games, World, India, Literature, China, Ramblings, Fitness, Money, Review, War, Articles, Economy, Journal, Quotes, NBA, Crime, Anime, Islam, 2008, Stories, Prayer, Diary, Jesus, Buddha, Muslim, Israel, Europe, Links, Marriage, Fiction, American Idol, Software, Leadership, Pop culture, Rants, Video Games, Republicans, Updates, Political, Football, Healing, Blogs, Shopping, USA, Class, Matrix, Course, Work, Web 2.0, My Life, Psychology, Gay, Happiness, Advertising, Field Hockey, Hip-hop, sex, fucking, ass, Soccer, sox"

Good Morning.

From the Huff Po:

Readers: I am not able to post the video here so click over on the title below if you would like to view it.

Behind The Photos That Changed How America Saw Domestic Violence

How one photographer documented the epidemic of hidden abuse inside our nation’s homes.

It was 1981 and Donna Ferrato wanted to photograph people in love. More precisely, she was interested in swingers who frequented New York’s sex clubs.

And so, she found the perfect polyamorous couple to focus her lens on. They were happy, wealthy and fashionable, and welcomed her into their New Jersey home for weeks at a time so she could intimately document their lives.

But one night, she witnessed something entirely unexpected: The husband brutally attacked his wife, striking her in the face. Ferrato snapped a photo thinking it would make him stop. It didn’t.

She sat on the undeveloped film for months, weighing what to do. Then, she began what has come to define her life’s work: documenting the horrors of domestic violence.

Armed with her camera, she crossed the country visiting domestic violence shelters, emergency rooms, batterers’ programs, police stations and prisons. In 1991, she published Living with the Enemy, a book that, for the very first time, revealed in shocking detail the private violence that went on inside American homes.

A few years later, her iconic photo of a woman with two black eyes appeared on the cover of Time magazine. Now, in a new documentary by Time Red Border Film, Ferrato explains the trajectory of her career, and the woman from the couple in those very first photos opens up about that night.

The Huffington Post caught up with Ferrato by email and asked her some questions about her work. Her answers have been edited for clarity.

How did you get involved in photographing domestic violence?

It was 1981. Before the AIDS epidemic when there was very little fear about random sex or hard drugs. I was working on a long-term project photographing the free-wheeling lifestyle of a fashionable New Jersey couple I’d met at a swinger’s club in Manhattan. People were curious about Plato’s Retreat, where the young and restless went to meet other like-minded couples.

I wondered who would participate, how husbands responded upon seeing their wives sexual with strangers, how it worked. I wanted to literally be inside the core of their relationships, to understand how their swinging lifestyle meshed with family responsibilities as they broke through social taboos.

It was not my intention to document domestic violence. I hadn’t much thought about it, because it had not threatened my childhood. One night, four months after I was documenting this couple in their beautiful mansion, the husband attacked his wife (without apology or shame) in front of me and my camera.

I was shocked because he seemed to feel entitled to hit her, even in front of an outsider, because she was his wife.

Up until that point, I had been trying to show the beauty of people in love. Shocked that love could go so wrong, I became obsessed with documenting domestic violence. Driven to try to do something about it, I found that a camera was my best weapon.

What was the general public’s reaction to the photos once they were released?

Much of my work was born out of frustration — first because I felt powerless in the face of the violence I had seen, and second because for a long time no magazine would publish the pictures. No one realized how common domestic violence was. Women had no choice but to suffer in silence. Either live with it or run away, never be seen again. There was no discussion about it as an injustice to women. To me it seemed like women lost their rights as human beings when they got married.

As opposition to publishing these photographs continued, I dug in deeper, getting permission to ride with the police, live in battered women’s shelters, hang out in emergency rooms. I often wondered, how could men get away with abusing women in such horrific ways?

At the time I didn’t realize how ridiculously easy it was. Everyone colluded with the abuser. Blamed the woman. It was simple. When some images I made in Philadelphia while on assignment for the Philadelphia Inquirer were published, it was like a bomb went off. People were very shocked when they saw a real woman with black and blue eyes on the cover of their Sunday magazine. Finally the cat was out of the bag … nobody could claim ignorance about the severity of this social problem.

Fortunately, back in the early ‘80s, there was a strong grassroots movement started by women to change legislation and to introduce laws with real teeth to hold abusers accountable. My photographs were the evidence they needed to raise money to do more public awareness campaigns, to strengthen the shelter movement, and most importantly to save women and children’s lives.

Readers: The forum is open.

Formatting issues…ugh..it is what it is. 

Blog me. 

Kersha, Holly: I will do my best. And the best needs to come from everyone in order for us to succeed in stopping Trump. Happy to be here with readers who have a passion and purpose to do this. There’s a lot at stake. 

Robert: No worries here. It won’t happen. I don’t know how long you’ve been reading but I don’t censor myself nor anyone else, so speak your mind freely.

Ruth: It’s been awhile. Miss you. I HOPE you et al are doing wonderfully. Looking forward to seeing you sometime soon.

Yay Hada: I love when someone flips to the Dem side. Thank you. Let’s keep the momentum going.

Isabell: A good rule to live by, right? Unless you hear God say it, don’t buy it.

Monique: Aww… dolce. Grazie.

Matthew: I disagree. I don’t think my brush is too broad at all. Most repubs want what’s best for them and theirs. You think McCain was stupid. The fact that you were willing to vote in an airhead like Palin as VP not to mention the risk of her becoming the president, is even more stupid. And you’re calling Obama a fool? Have you looked at what he has done for this county. Unemployment is at an all time low because of that fool. He’s created 14 million jobs. Pulled us out of the worst economic crisis since the 1930s. I could go on but I don’t want to waste my morning. Look it up. He’s the best president we’ve every had to date.

Women Warriors: Thanks for posting!

Mildred: That is horrific. Unfortunately I know you are not alone. My heart goes out to you and your children. I HOPE you can be reunited with them soon.

Social Butterfly: Thanks for the warm welcome.  Nice to see you here too! I really enjoyed the article that you posted. A great write that I HOPE everyone reads.

Robi: I hear you. Sickening but true; he probably would.

Wilma: Did we already add him to the LSOS club? If not…DONE.

Mike, TM: Nice to see you. I was wondering if you would be back. So sorry about the trouble you had getting in. I found your comments in the spam and released one. Not sure why it was there but I will continue to check daily as some other readers have been found there as well. I HOPE you are doing good.

Happy Saturday everyone!

Peace & Love: “Live it, Give it.”

Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.

Gratefully your blog host,

michelle Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)

If you love my blog and my writes, please make a donation via PayPal, credit card, or e-check, please click the “Donate” button below. (Please only donations from those readers within the United States. – International readers please see my “Donate” page)

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Michelle Moquin PO Box 29235 San Francisco, Ca. 94129

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All content on this site are property of Michelle Moquin © copyright 2008-2016

“Though she be but little, she be fierce.” – William Shakespeare Midsummer Night’s Dream 

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Here it is…Another disgusting BS religion’s rules about “religious duties.”

From NBC News:

Pakistan Advisory Body Suggests Men ‘Lightly Beat’ Wives Who Refuse Sex

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — A powerful constitutional body in Pakistan proposed legislation last week that would allow husbands to “lightly beat” their wives who decline sex or refuse to wear what their mates prefer.

The Council of Islamic Ideology says it has to finalize the 160-page draft before it is sent to lawmakers in the Punjab province, the country’s most populated region, for approval.

As well as beatings for wives who decline to have sex with their husbands, the document also advocates men use “limited violence” on spouses who do not bathe after intercourse or during menstruation.

“”DO NOT HIT HER VINDICTIVELY, BUT ONLY FOR REMINDING HER ABOUT HER RELIGIOUS DUTIES””

The council — known as CII — went so far as to provide guidelines on how to inflict the beatings.

“Hit her in areas where her skin is not too thick and not too thin,” CII leader Maulana Muhammad Khan Sherani told a press conference in Islamabad on Thursday. “Do not use shoes or a broom on the head, or hit her on the nose or eyes.”

“Do not break any bones or cut her skin or leave any marks,” he added. “Do not hit her vindictively, but only for reminding her about her religious duties.”

The CII cannot make laws itself but gives suggestions to Pakistan’s government and parliament.

Already, the proposal has sparked outrage inside the country.

“This is unbelievable,” said Allama Tahir Ashrafi, a former member of the CII who resigned for what he called religious regions. “So, what is ‘light beating’ and ‘limited violence’? Not chopping off their heads but only, say, burning them in oil?”

Ashrafi is now leader of the 110,000-member Pakistani Religious Scholars Council, a group of mullahs who debate Islam and preach.

He told NBC News the CII was subverting the very religion it claimed to uphold: “Violence is forbidden by Islam, period.”

He said the council should be speaking “about rape, about the increasing divorce rate, about suicide bombing — but they avoid these issues.”

“”VIOLENCE IS FORBIDDEN BY ISLAM, PERIOD””

Others have questioned the practicality of the proposals.

“Will the Maulana [religious scholar] observe every beating himself, personally?” said Rana Sanaullah, the Punjab province law minister, in another press conference in Lahore. “How will he ensure that ‘light beating’ doesn’t become ‘heavy beating’.”

The draft bill has a step-by-step guide on how to administer these beatings. If a wife disobeys her husband, according to the document, the husband should try to talk to her. If that doesn’t work, he should sleep separately and only finally use violence as a last resort.

The CII suggests that any man who doesn’t follow that process should be prosecuted.

Pakistan was the first Islamic country to elect a woman to high office, with Benazir Bhutto serving as prime minister in the 80s and 90s before her assassination in 2007. However it consistently ranks as one of the world’s worst countries for female employment and education.

More than 1,000 “honor killings” were carried out in Pakistan last year, a practice where women are murdered by their own relatives if they are seen as bringing “dishonor” on their families.

The CII’s proposal was in response to an unconventionally liberal move by Pakistan’s Punjab province, which pushed for a progressive gender-equality law called the Protection of Women Against Violence Act. The act sought to give women more rights, including fitting violent husbands with electronic tracking bracelets.

Rejecting that bill as “un-Islamic,” the CII proposed its own document instead. The CII’s draft bill has to be finalized by the council before it is sent to the provincial legislature for approval.

In addition to the beatings, it also seeks to ban women from several aspects of society.

Female co-eds? Nope, not after primary school. Women joining combat squads in the armed forces? That would be out too — a far more conservative approach than the country’s air force, which has started training women to be fighter pilots.

Women also would be barred for nursing male patients in hospital unless it is their husband, son, brother or father.

The proposal does make some paltry concessions for the female population. It says they should be allowed to inherit property and given protection from being kicked out of their houses if their husband dies without a will. Women should not be subjected to forced marriage, acid attacks or honor killings, the draft also states.

Still, the list of punishable offenses goes on. The draft said beatings also should be administered to any woman who does not wear a hijab, gives money to other people without her husband’s permission, and talks loudly so the neighbors can hear.

Women would also be forced to breastfeed their kids for two years and banned from using contraception without their husband’s permission.

“Disgusting,” human-rights lawyer Asma Jahangir said in an interview with Pakistani television this week. “But we shouldn’t be worried. The women of Pakistan know how to protect themselves.”

*****

Readers: Notice how religion once again is so hypocritical? On the one hand (the one that’s not doing the beating), ”Violence is forbidden by Islam, period.” And on the other, (the one that is doing the beating),  “Hit her in areas where her skin is not too thick and not too thin,” “Do not break any bones or cut her skin or leave any marks.”  Wha’at? How hypocritical can you be?

And how about that “step by step guide?” Not only is it shocking to know that there is a “guide” on how to “administer beatings,” but that any man would actually follow the “guide” in fear of being prosecuted should he not, is a sick joke. You can bet if this BS bill passes, they’ll skip the “talk” and go straight into “limited violence” (Whatever the fuck that means to whoever the fuck is raising the hand), because they can.

I mean really, how do you police something like that? The answer is ” You don’t – They have no intention in policing anything.” It’s just a BS bill for men to be able to do what they want to their women and have legal means to get away with it. Any council that drafts a bill that allows men to rape and beat their wives because of so-called “religious duties” is not concerned at all about the health and well-being of any woman.

This is one sick country using religion as a license to rape and beat their women as they see fit. Period.

Thoughts? Blog me. 

Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.

Gratefully your blog host,

michelle

Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)

If you love my blog and my writes, please make a donation via PayPal, credit card, or e-check, please click the “Donate” button below. (Please only donations from those readers within the United States. – International readers please see my “Donate” page)

Or if you would like to send a check via snail mail, please make checks payable to “Michelle Moquin”, and send to:

Michelle Moquin PO Box 29235 San Francisco, Ca. 94129

Thank you for your loyal support!

All content on this site are property of Michelle Moquin © copyright 2008-2016

“Though she be but little, she be fierce.” – William Shakespeare Midsummer Night’s Dream 

" Politics, god, Life, News, Music, Family, Personal, Travel, Random, Photography, Religion, Aliens, Art, Entertainment, Food, Books, Thoughts, Media, Culture, Love, Sex, Poetry, Prose, Friends, Technology, Humor, Health, Writing, Events, Movies, Sports, Video, Christianity, Atheist, Blogging, History, Work, Education, Business, Fashion, Barack Obama, People, Internet, Relationships, Faith, Photos, Videos, Hillary Clinton, School, Reviews, God, TV, Philosophy, Fun, Science, Environment, Design, The Page, Rants, Pictures, Church, Blog, Nature, Marketing, Television, Democrats, Parenting, Miscellaneous, Current Events, Film, Spirituality, Obama, Musings, Home, Human Rights, Society, Comedy, Me, Random Thoughts, Research, Government, Election 2008, Baseball, Opinion, Recipes, Children, Iraq, Funny, Women, Economics, America, Misc, Commentary, John McCain, Reflections, All, Celebrities, Inspiration, Lifestyle, Theology, Linux, Kids, Games, World, India, Literature, China, Ramblings, Fitness, Money, Review, War, Articles, Economy, Journal, Quotes, NBA, Crime, Anime, Islam, 2008, Stories, Prayer, Diary, Jesus, Buddha, Muslim, Israel, Europe, Links, Marriage, Fiction, American Idol, Software, Leadership, Pop culture, Rants, Video Games, Republicans, Updates, Political, Football, Healing, Blogs, Shopping, USA, Class, Matrix, Course, Work, Web 2.0, My Life, Psychology, Gay, Happiness, Advertising, Field Hockey, Hip-hop, sex, fucking, ass, Soccer, sox"