If you are born the daughter of a woman who was locked in a cellar for decades and that woman’s father who raped her constantly and was her captor, CNN will start referring to you as “Incest Girl” in the “Most Popular” news stories sidebar. Even if you’re a full grown adult and, you know, a person. Even better, for the full headline of the article, you’ll be known as “Incest Dungeon Girl.”
Good to know that being born into unfortunate and terrifying circumstances beyond your control — to a victimized mother who was abused and held captive for slightly longer than I’ve actually been alive, and an utterly insane father who forced you to also live your life in the dungeon — will win you nicknames on par with “Bat Boy.”
Just in case I’m not the only one who is really pissed off about this, CNN’s contact info is here.
EDIT: As Nick noted in the comments, the article also refers to the woman’s birth being a result of a relationship between her mother and her mother’s father. Funny how being held captive and raped by your father for 24 years doesn’t quite strike me as a “relationship,” so much as you know, quite possibly the worst crime I’ve ever heard of in my entire life.
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I also dislike the use of the word “relationship” in this case:
Kerstin is the oldest daughter of an incestuous relationship between her mother, Elisabeth, 43, and Elisabeth’s father, Josef Fritzl, 73.
Though at least this story, unlike most covering this nightmare, uses the word rape.
What I find really amazing about this is that through it all Elisabeth Fritzl has somehow managed to give her children enough of an upbringing that they can function. I find it hard to wrap my brain around the level of fortitude she must possess.
Wow, I was so pissed about the headline that I didn’t even notice that. Fucking hell. good catch . . . lucky I haven’t sent CNN my comments yet, huh?
I emailed CNN – the coldness and insensitivity of the media has reached an all time low with this article. And relationship!??!?! Is that what they call it? I’d call it imprisonment and rape…and victimization, and a hell of a lot of other things.
The ‘relationship’ comment is about on par as asking a rapist if he ‘had sex with her’. It’s not sex, it’s rape and it shouldn’t be downplayed.
I would like to say that the way CNN has been reporting this case has been adolescent and shallow. With report titles like, “Incest dungeon girl reunited with family”. She is not a movie character, she is a human being. I just wish the media would show a little more compassion towards some of these people that have a tragedy like this one.
UPDATE: The father has now been charged with murdering one of the children.
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