Two male university students have been driven into hiding after writing a newspaper column about the violent rape of women.
The ‘Agony Uncles’ at The Beaver, the student journal for the London School of Economics, write a regular satirical problem page.
In response to an imaginary reader’s fears about the fidelity of his girlfriend, they suggested he subdue her by subjecting her to a vicious sex attack.
LSE is protecting the identity of the student journalists and will not discipline them.
They recommended hitting women in the back of the head during sex – known as ‘donkey punching’ – to keep them in check.
And they listed a series of illegal sex acts, concluding: ‘It’s not rape if you shout “surprise”.’ The shocking column, which appeared in the print edition and online, has caused outrage at the world-leading university.
Among the most vocal have been the university’s Woman’s Society and the Feminist Society, which has petitioned for the resignation of the paper’s executive editor, who happens to be a woman, Nicola Alexander.
The strength of anger is so extreme the paper has refused to reveal the writers’ names over ‘concerns about their safety’. And the university has been criticised for refusing to discipline the students.
Lucy McFadden, LSE women’s officer, said: ‘It is appalling that, even now, joking about the rape of women is somehow deemed acceptable in our society. I want to know how and why this happened.’
The Beaver is one of the oldest and most acclaimed student-run newspapers in the country. It has produced several well-known journalists, including Justin Webb of the BBC’s Today programme.
The Beaver newspaper was inspired by the university's coat of arms and has a long, illustrious history. (Motto reads 'Discover the cause of things')
The offending column appeared on November 1.
Its header boasted: ‘This week, our Agony Uncles answer your questions on fornicating with faculty, keeping your girl in check and dealing with less attractive females.’
The ‘advice’ alluded to performing a violent sexual act on a woman to ‘keep your hands full’.
Much of the content is too offensive for the Mail to print.
Lucy McFadden said: ‘The article advocates sexual violence and rape and perpetuates misogynistic attitudes... encouraging punching your sexual partner in the back of the head (“donkey punching”) amongst others, and normalises the attitude that physical violence against women is acceptable.’
Miss Alexander, the editor who approved the piece for publication, has resisted calls for her resignation, despite a 229-signature petition against her on Facebook.
She admitted the article was ‘distasteful at best’ and has published a front-page apology.
A spokesman for LSE defended the university’s decision not to discipline the students.
He said: ‘This article was disgusting in the extreme. It was an extremely distasteful attempt at humour. But the authors have apologised. And the matter is not within our jurisdiction.
'The Beaver is run by the union – it is independent of the university.’
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...-rape-university-newspaper.html#ixzz1e7N0sLnH
The ‘Agony Uncles’ at The Beaver, the student journal for the London School of Economics, write a regular satirical problem page.
In response to an imaginary reader’s fears about the fidelity of his girlfriend, they suggested he subdue her by subjecting her to a vicious sex attack.
LSE is protecting the identity of the student journalists and will not discipline them.
They recommended hitting women in the back of the head during sex – known as ‘donkey punching’ – to keep them in check.
And they listed a series of illegal sex acts, concluding: ‘It’s not rape if you shout “surprise”.’ The shocking column, which appeared in the print edition and online, has caused outrage at the world-leading university.
Among the most vocal have been the university’s Woman’s Society and the Feminist Society, which has petitioned for the resignation of the paper’s executive editor, who happens to be a woman, Nicola Alexander.
The strength of anger is so extreme the paper has refused to reveal the writers’ names over ‘concerns about their safety’. And the university has been criticised for refusing to discipline the students.
Lucy McFadden, LSE women’s officer, said: ‘It is appalling that, even now, joking about the rape of women is somehow deemed acceptable in our society. I want to know how and why this happened.’
The Beaver is one of the oldest and most acclaimed student-run newspapers in the country. It has produced several well-known journalists, including Justin Webb of the BBC’s Today programme.
The Beaver newspaper was inspired by the university's coat of arms and has a long, illustrious history. (Motto reads 'Discover the cause of things')
The offending column appeared on November 1.
Its header boasted: ‘This week, our Agony Uncles answer your questions on fornicating with faculty, keeping your girl in check and dealing with less attractive females.’
The ‘advice’ alluded to performing a violent sexual act on a woman to ‘keep your hands full’.
Much of the content is too offensive for the Mail to print.
Lucy McFadden said: ‘The article advocates sexual violence and rape and perpetuates misogynistic attitudes... encouraging punching your sexual partner in the back of the head (“donkey punching”) amongst others, and normalises the attitude that physical violence against women is acceptable.’
Miss Alexander, the editor who approved the piece for publication, has resisted calls for her resignation, despite a 229-signature petition against her on Facebook.
She admitted the article was ‘distasteful at best’ and has published a front-page apology.
A spokesman for LSE defended the university’s decision not to discipline the students.
He said: ‘This article was disgusting in the extreme. It was an extremely distasteful attempt at humour. But the authors have apologised. And the matter is not within our jurisdiction.
'The Beaver is run by the union – it is independent of the university.’
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...-rape-university-newspaper.html#ixzz1e7N0sLnH
