Media / Media Bias

Media sympathetic to woman alleged to have spread HIV

By Arthur Weinreb

Last month, 31-year-old woman was charged with two counts of aggravated assault. It was alleged that she had knowingly engaged in unprotected sex without informing her partner that she was HIV positive. These acts are alleged to have taken place at Canadian Forces Base Borden, where it has been reported that she was parading around the singles’ residence wearing only a pink G-string and knee high boots.

Apparently, she had contracted the virus in the early 1990s by a man who was subsequently convicted and jailed for doing what she is now being alleged to have done. This was all that the mainstream media needed to know to in order to make her the victim. Much of the reporting dealt with eliciting sympathetic statements about what a great person she is from her friends and family.

While not the only media to do this, the Toronto Star clearly illustrates how this story is being covered. The day after the newspaper reported the story, they followed with an article entitled, "No femme fatale but ‘a good woman’." That said it all but the headline was naturally followed by an article. In the piece, written by Dale Brazao, were found quotes such as, " My sister is a very, very good woman, and she would never ever do anything to hurt anybody", " Her arrest has been an ordeal for the whole family, particularly her 13-year-old son", and "She’s the best of friends, she’d do anything for anybody." She was also described as a "faithful wife who wouldn’t cheat". None of these sources were, of course present when these acts were alleged to have taken place.

The way this story is reported is just one example of how women are held to a different standard in the media than men who find themselves in similar situations. It is beyond belief to think that if it were a man who was charged with doing what she was charged with, that there would be any interest in reporting what a great guy he was or how his children and other family members were coping. He would merely be labelled as a bad guy and the media would then move on.

And how is the solider that is at risk of contracting HIV and AIDS coping with the situation? What is his family going through? Well, relying on media reports, we don’t even know if he has a family or how he feels about what allegedly took place. As far as the media is concerned, he isn’t worth giving a second thought to. She is the real victim in this matter.

It is this type of thinking that initially gave schoolgirl killer Karla Homolka the status of a victim that allowed her to plea bargain her role in the sickening death of her sister and the rape, torture and slayings of Kristen French and Leslie Mahaffy into a 12-year sentence for manslaughter. We never seem to learn.

Arthur Weinreb is an author, columnist and Associate Editor of Canada Free Press. His work has appeared on Newsmax.com, Men's News Daily, Drudge Report, Foxnews.com, Glenn Beck and The Rant. Arthur can be reached at: aweinreb@rogers.com

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