Blaming the victim: CNN Host Tells Joan Tarshis How She Could Avoid Being Raped

[kpete]

CNN Host To Accuser: Why Didn’t You Bite Cosby’s Penis To End Rape?

CNN's Don Lemon took it upon himself Tuesday night to explain how a woman who accused actor Bill Cosby of rape could have avoided the situation -- explicitly, that she should have used her teeth as a weapon.

Lemon sat down Tuesday night with Joan Tarshis, a former actress who said this week that Cosby raped her in 1969. The two had this extremely awkward exchange:

LEMON: Can I ask you this, because -- and please, I don't mean to be crude, OK?

TARSHIS: Yeah.

LEMON: Because I know some of you -- and you said this last night, that he -- you lied to him and said "I have an infection, and if you rape me, or if you do -- if you have intercourse with me, then you will probably get it and give it to your wife."

TARSHIS: Right.

LEMON: And you said he made you perform oral sex.

TARSHIS: Right.

LEMON: You -- you know, there are ways not to perform oral sex if you didn't want to do it.

TARSHIS: Oh. Um, I was kind of stoned at the time, and quite honestly, that didn't even enter my mind. Now I wish it would have.

LEMON: Right. Meaning the using of the teeth, right?

TARSHIS: Yes, that's what I'm thinking you're --

LEMON: As a weapon.

TARSHIS: Yeah, I didn't even think of it.

LEMON: Biting. So, um --

TARSHIS: Ouch.

LEMON: Yes. I had to ask. I mean, it is, yeah.

TARSHIS: Yes. No, it didn't cross my mind.

more insults, plus video:
http://mediamatters.org/video/2014/11/18/cnns-don-lemon-to-cosby-rape-accuser-you-know-t/201625
http://jezebel.com/bill-cosby-accuser-joan-tarshis-to-cnn-i-blamed-myself-1659990131
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/don-lemon-joan-tarshis-bill-cosby-rape

[etherealtruth]

1. WTF?

There never seems to be an end to those advising a rape victim what she "should" have done.

Surviving a rape is the goal .... doing whatever one needs to do to survive is the means to the end!

[stone space]

2. Wow. That's pretty creepy! (nt)

[elehhhhna]

5. when i am forced to do oral on a creep

I ALWAYS wonder: "How can I introduce blood borne pathogens or viruses into my system more efficiently?"

[shenmue]

3. Good Lord

[moriah]

4. Victims second-guess enough as it is.

And biting a person during forced oral is a great way to make them beat the fuck out of you.

[packman]

6. Creepy and disturbing on many levels

Bill has a lot to answer for. The one time "America's favorite father" is apparently a closet sleaze-ball be it rape or consensual sex. However, the more I hear from Mrs. Tarshis, the more I wonder about her motivations. Apparently she was a victim of false promises and is now seeking some sort of revenge against promises not kept.

[pnwmom]

17. It implies that forced oral sex could never happen -- because teeth would be a weapon.

And no woman would ever be drunk or fearful of retaliation . . .

[gollygee]

7. Oh well that wouldn't make anyone attacking become even more violent.

/sarcasm.

Stupid stupid stupid. When people are being victimized, they are trying to survive.

[yardwork]

8. Sounds like a good way to get killed.

[kpete]

9. exactly

staying alive trumps thinking logically.....




peace,
kp

[chrisa]

10. Don Lemon is an insufferable hack, so this does not surprise me in the least bit.

I'm surprised he didn't ask her if she remembered what she was wearing at the time, or any other questions that one asks just to be an insensitive, accusatory douchebag.

[spanone]

11. journalism is dead. not even remotely practiced. what a classless fuck.

expected from the Comedy News Network

[MoonRiver]

12. Until you've walked in a rape victim's shoes,

just STFU Lemon!

[KamaAina]

13. KamaAina to accuser: Why didn't you kick Lemon in the nuts when he asked you that?

[geardaddy]

16. +1 million n/t

[Orrex]

14. Obviously, she should have "shut it down."

[geardaddy]

15. Lemon is a fuckwit.

[SomethingFishy]

18. Is CNN going to make this asshole apologize on the air?

And explain how he is an insufferable jackass who should be removed from the air immediately?

Nope. Probably not.

Goddammit sometimes it's embarrassing to be a man. I swear we aren't all like this.

[KamaAina]

19. Now you know why we have Lemon laws