Lara Logan Suffered 'Brutal' Sexual Assault In Egypt

[True_Blue]

Source: Huffington Post

CBS News says correspondent Lara Logan "suffered a brutal and sustained sexual assault" while covering the resignation of Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak.

The CBS statement:

On Friday February 11, the day Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak stepped down, CBS correspondent Lara Logan was covering the jubilation in Tahrir Square for a 60 MINUTES story when she and her team and their security were surrounded by a dangerous element amidst the celebration. It was a mob of more than 200 people whipped into frenzy.

In the crush of the mob, she was separated from her crew. She was surrounded and suffered a brutal and sustained sexual assault and beating before being saved by a group of women and an estimated 20 Egyptian soldiers. She reconnected with the CBS team, returned to her hotel and returned to the United States on the first flight the next morning. She is currently in the hospital recovering.

There will be no further comment from CBS News and Correspondent Logan and her family respectfully request privacy at this time.


Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/15/lara-logan-suffered-bruta_n_823677.html

[bluestateguy]

1. I wonder if it was a bunch of thugs who don't think women should be reporters

nt

[JI7]

2. wasn't there news of there being sexual assaults early on ?

[grahamhgreen]

5. This is what happens on a daily basis with our dictators.

[prolesunited]

20. What does your comment mean?

[Name removed]

25. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[EFerrari]

47. 1 story that was not picked up by anyone else or verified

by anyone on the ground. It looked like a way to try to scare people and keep them in doors.

[FrenchieCat]

3. She was on Charlie Rose.......

following her return home after this February 11th incident.

Here's the interview - http://www.charlierose.com/view/interview/11457

[Justitia]

7. that interview was dated Feb. 7th, so that would be before the attack.

She must have gone back to Egypt sometime after the interview you linked.

[Bigmack]

16. Goddamit.... I KNEW if she fucked around over there...

...long enough she'd run into trouble. She's been in that shit bigtime for years.

No... I'm not blaming the victim, and I'm not being sexist.

I have been yelling at the TV regularly, telling Richard Engle that the story ain't worth getting killed.

Both Logan and Engle have proven themselves to be the best... but everybody who's been in combat situations knows - skill or no skill - that when your number's up......

Having said all that. I respect and admire both of those reporters... Logan maybe more so because she's so pretty and blonde in an area of the world where that makes you a special target. Takes an enormous amount of guts to do what they both have done.

Get well, Lara. Selfishly, I want to see you reporting again... soon. Maybe from someplace safe and sane.

[Skittles]

22. um

a woman cannot walk alone in many, many areas of America

[MonkeyMama]

24. yep

It really annoys me that many people are acting like this sort of thing doesn't happen everywhere. This is a common weapon used against women world-wide.

[Skittles]

27. you know it, MonkeyMama

welcome to DU

[Kurmudgeon]

28. Never seen a newswoman attacked and raped on camera in the US.

Yes, it happens here too, but nowhere as brazen as this attack.
It really annoys me when people have to distort something to make their point.

[LanternWaste]

33. What's the precise and moral difference between a "brazen" rape versus just rape?

What's the precise and moral difference between a "brazen" rape versus just rape? :shrug:

While you yourself interpret it as distortion, others see an apt comparison. Rape is rape is rape, regardless of who, when, where, or even in what civilized consumer society it takes place in.

[Kurmudgeon]

41. No moral difference, both are evil.

However, if it's gotten to the point where even cameras and publicity doesn't dissuade the attacker, I'd say that's even worse, wouldn't you?
Do you want to live in a society where women can be raped in broad daylight in front of anyone, anywhere?
While you play word games with me, you obscure the true depth of the crime perpetrated on Lara Logan.
All crime is bad, rape is worse than the majority of the crime, brazen rape in public without even fear of punishment or cameras is borderline insane and psychopathic. The problem here is you somehow thought Egypt on that day was a civilized consumer society, if ever.

[LanternWaste]

52. You believe then that there are no rapes perpetrated in front of crowds

You believe then that there are no rapes perpetrated in front of crowds in the US? If so, you are wrong.

"he problem here is you somehow thought Egypt on that day was a civilized consumer society, if ever."
The problem here is that I was referring to the US, professor.

[Kurmudgeon]

64. Are you going to keep changing the question until you get what you want?

[LanternWaste]

70. Nope. Simply deconstruction your position.

Nope. Simply deconstructing your position. :shrug:

Ed: Initial position: "it really annoys me when people have to distort something to make their point." Now deconstructed. No one distorted, examples in both kind and degree were offered.

[HighLowRoller87]

39. I don't believe you can say that attacks here in the U.S. aren't as brazen as what happened to Logan

Think about the girl who behind a California school was gangraped by 20 or so people for two hours. There's probably gang rapes occurring in this country (U.S.A) as we speak. The only problem is that it may not make the National news.

[Kurmudgeon]

40. So, California is Egypt then, you may have a point.

I had forgotten about that incident, sorry to say, though it's hardly common.
As I remember, it didn't happen while the cameras were on, think they would have been as brazen as Egypt then?

[LanternWaste]

71. Yes... cell phones recorded it.

"think they would have been as brazen as Egypt then?"
Yes... cell phones recorded it. Cameras, cell phones, six of one,half a dozen of the other.

"I had forgotten about that incident, sorry to say, though it's hardly common."
I imagine you believe it's hardly common because you forget... :shrug:

"So, California is Egypt then..."
People are people. So, yes... maybe you are getting it.

[janet118]

42. "on camera"? what is YOUR point?

There is nothing in the report that indicates the rape took place on camera. It says Logan was "separated from her crew." Rape is a crime that is associated with a particular sex, not a particular religion. The U.S. has its share of rapes - on and off camera - of females in all professions. Rape and fear of rape are methods of enforcing male dominance in many cultures.

[Kurmudgeon]

65. That crime openly in public is even worse because there is no fear of consequences.

Everyone is trying oh so very hard to make it even worse than it is, when it can't possibly be any worse.
A woman was attacked in public WITH NO FEAR OF CONSEQUENCES. If they have no fear in public, they'll have no fear at any time.
If I could have machine gunned every one of the rapists bastards without hitting innocents, I would have done so, whether in
California or Egypt. Is my point clear now? Or will we have to dance more?

[Alameda]

59. It didn't say she was raped. Let's not exagerate things.

[CreekDog]

78. it didn't say she wasn't raped --let's not exclude things before knowing the facts

:hi:

[Bigmack]

34. Neither can men, in some places...

I just don't feel stories are worth reporters' lives.

When Engle was on that hotel balcony overlooking the square in Cairo, I was yelling at him that he was sniper bait. All those lights for broadcasting draws fire.

When Logan was doing a report last year, I saw her with no helmet and a blue flak jacket walking alongside desert-camouflaged, helmeted troops. Again, sniper bait.

My past history colors how I see that shit, I will admit. You're dead a loooong time, and people will remember you for only a few years.

Please, reporters, at home or abroad... keep your head down and be careful out there!

[RSillsbee]

49. A woman w/ a gun can NT

[No Elephants]

81. Only if no one else has a gun--and maybe not even then....

[LanternWaste]

32. the story is indeed worth the risks....

"telling Richard Engle that the story ain't worth getting killed..."

Wilfred Burchett, Ernie Pyle, Max Hastings, Ed Murrow, Henry Gorrell, and Bill Shirer all wrote at one time or another, and at one point or another during the 20th century that the story is indeed, worth the risks.

[Bigmack]

35. We see it differently...

life counts above all.

Imagine if Pyle had lived to continue to tell the story of the infantrymen, instead of dying on some shitty little island.

And then there's the 140 journalists killed in Iraq. Who remembers them but their families?

Life counts ... stories? Not so much.

I posted elsewhere... "My past history colors how I see that shit, I will admit. You're dead a loooong time, and people will remember you for only a few years.

Please, reporters, at home or abroad... keep your head down and be careful out there!"

[Psephos]

36. An alternate take...

We are all going to die.

Most of us will die quietly, as a husk from which most of the life has already seeped away. Some of us will die suddenly and randomly, during an otherwise routine day. A few of us will die honorably, while in pursuit of an worthy idea or action. Usually, that will have been with knowledge of the risks involved.

Life is infinitesimally short, and nothing we leave behind will be remembered long. From dust, unto dust. To attempt to create a memorial to oneself through power, accomplishments, or applause is to become Ozymandias.

If forced to choose, I would rather die earlier, in the midst of living fully, than to die later, and have nothing to show for my risk-averse life except a little more dust to give back.

The real risk in life is to go to the grave having never experienced what living fully means.

[Bigmack]

37. You must be young....

I had a lot of friends that never got older than 20 or so...

We all said we'd rather "Live hard & die young". Some did.

I guess I "experienced what living fully" means. That's why I value life so much.

[LanternWaste]

61. You take zero risks?

You take zero risks...?


Or (and I find this more likely), you weigh the responsibilities of your family, your career and your passions against the risk, much like Ms. Logan and Ernie Pyle did?

[LanternWaste]

53. Six of one, half a dozen of the other.

"Life counts ... stories? Not so much."

One can just as validly state, "Life counts ... truth? Not so much." Six of one, half a dozen of the other.

[Old Troop]

67. I believe that you're mistaken regarding Pyle. How would he have

continued to tell the story of infantrymen if he had avoided combat?

[Uncle Joe]

55. That was a most revealing interview, Lara Logan directly took on the power structures of Egypt

including the Army, no doubt she was targeted because of her work, they wanted to shut her up.

I wish her a rapid recovery from this tragedy.

Thanks for the the link, FrenchieCat.

[grahamhgreen]

4. No doubt it was from pro-Mubarak supporters....

A photog friend of mine had sent this to me from tahrir:

THE ARMY SAVED ME FROM A LYNCHING OUTSIDE THE HILTON ON THE CORNICHE...WILD EYED GUYS WITH BEARDS AND HOLES IN THEIR FOREHEADS FROM PRAYING, THEY ARE WITH MUBARAK BUT SEEM ULTRA RELIGIOUS MANY OF THEM..ITS A THIRD HAND OF TERROR...THEY ARE IN A FRENZY OF HATE, THE EGYPTIAN PRESS SAID THE FOREIGN MEDIA IS IN THE HANDS OF ZIONISTS AND AMERICANS AND IS ANTI REGIME..AS ANDERSON COOPER FOUND OUT.....

[AngryAmish]

18. SHe got attacked at the celebration of Mubarek's ouster

[grahamhgreen]

38. Every other journalist was attacked by

Pro-Mubarak forces, it is most likely the same perpetrators.

[CreekDog]

80. no supporters of Mubarak could possibly have been in the same location as the celebrants

try again.

:eyes:

[BOG PERSON]

23. the government supplies the presidential guard with liquor and viagra

and unleashes them upon the crowds.

[Democat]

48. No doubt? Because no anti-Mubarak protesters are sexist pigs?

You're pretty sure that there are no liberal rapists in the world?

[WatsonT]

50. Only groups of people you disagree with

contain immoral people.

Groups of people you agree with are without sin.

[grahamhgreen]

57. It's possible, but unlikely given

That pro-Mubarak forces have been torturing and raping for decades with our tax dollars.

I can send you some video footage of their actions that was released by an Egyptian blogger, but it's traumatic to watch.

[Roland99]

6. Damn.

:(

[blackspade]

8. Horrible.

Hopefully she will have a speedy recovery.

[hlthe2b]

9. She is a very brave lady... I want to aknowledge the Egyptians..

who came to her rescue, however... A group of women and 20 Egyptian soldiers, who encapsulate the essential good of the Egyptian people. The brutalizers were undoubtedly pro-Mubarak thugs.

Logan is worthy of all of our respect and admiration. I hope she can get past this horrible episode.

[Kceres]

10. OMG. She had a baby about a year or so ago.

I feel so terrible for her. Wonder what the chances are that they'll find the thugs who assaulted her.

[LisaL]

11. I'd say about zero that anyone is even going to look.

[Kceres]

12. Unfortunately, you are probably right. It was probably chaos.

I'm sure the thugs got away with more than that.

[Faygo Kid]

17. They no doubt have them on videotape, but I doubt that will matter.

Still, a lot of outrage about this. I hope Secretary Clinton makes it crystal clear that we expect those responsible to be held accountable.

[johnfunk]

30. I'd say about 100%, based on an IM from a friend in a position to know...

Here's the gist from a big media player:

• Lara Logan has more friends in the military, state department, and intelligence services than the people who perpetrated this crime could even begin to dream of. Many owe Lara a favor or two.
• Those who committed the crime, whether a violent gang of rapists or a band of Mubarak's thug supporters, will be identified -- if they have not already been.
• "... they will be told why they are paying, and they will pay."

I was reminded by those words of a particular scene in the film "Munich." Instead of being bumped off by guns disguised as bike pumps, I hope it involves castration -- preferably without anesthesia.

I'm not a huge fan of Lara, but the woman has guts and then some -- and I'm outraged at the assault.

[BrightKnight]

63. The Munich approach is not a bad idea.

Even a rumor of that kind of thing might act as a deterrent and calm things down a bit.

[WatsonT]

14. None whatsoever

That's the horrible (but accurate) logic at work within a mob: if we're all guilty then none of us are.

It's also one of those things that make divine retribution/karma seem like such a wonderful concept (wish I could believe in it sometimes).

[politicat]

26. Why does her state of motherhood matter?

Is it a better rape somehow if the woman is not a mother?

That's the sort of degrees of rape thinking that let the Rethugs think that they could get away with their "forcible" rape language. The crime against the victim does not change because of her actions a year, six years, six hours or six minutes beforehand. It does not matter what a woman's sexual/parental/social/financial status is. Rape is rape. Sexual assault is sexual assault.

Right now, your subtext says that a non-parent's rape is less of a crime and less of an awful experience than the same assault on a parent. If that's the case... SRSLY?

[TroglodyteScholar]

44. It is doubly tragic when a child is affected by such events.

You let yourself miss that simple fact...SRSLY?

[pamela]

13. That is terribly sad news.

Very sad to hear this. I hope she will be okay.

[devils chaplain]

15. Sometimes...

Beheading as punishment sounds more justified than barbaric.

[Odin2005]

19. There are no words!!!

:grr: :cry:

[bookworm65t]

21. Katie Couric just now "...we wish her the very best." WTF?

sounds a lot like what you say to someone you just canned? Or am I reading this wrong?

Get Well Lara!

[WatsonT]

51. Well there's not a whole that could be said

on air that is appropriate.

She could hardly say "we hope all those responsible have their genitals ripped off by angry fereal pigs".

A generic condolence is about as good as you can get.

[alp227]

29. "She deserved it for going there." --Free Republic

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2674204/posts

One even asked how liberal and multicultural she'll become after this. Excuse me, but please look up Rep. Chris Smith's bill.

Anyway, all I can say now is that Logan should recover as long as it takes and that those who did it should be castrated.

[johnfunk]

31. See my comment above.

The perps WILL be castrated -- IF they're lucky.

[Ian David]

43. What not to say about Lara Logan

What not to say about Lara Logan
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=439&topic_id=427462&mesg_id=427462

[Name removed]

45. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[superduperfarleft]

46. Oh look, another one.

Is that what you say to all victims of rape, or just the pretty white women who don't know their place around swarthy brown people?

[woo me with science]

54. Heard on station today she will be in hospital for a long time

as a result of the severity of her injuries.

[leftyladyfrommo]

56. Wow. This is just awful.

My own feeling is that women should just not go to the Arab countries. Women are just treated like shit. And it is just too dangerous. A story is just not worth losing your life over - or getting brutally attacked like this. That poor woman.

This is awful.

[femrap]

58. I am NEVER going to

read the comments of posters when the topic is Rape.

Too many sexist, stupid 'people' in this damn world....mainly males. Dirt dumb.

[leftyladyfrommo]

60. Maybe because I am female but

I find men's attitude toward rape to be just plain wierd.

[femrap]

72. Since males

can't experience rape, they should just shut up about it. They're the ones who rape. Sure there are good guys out there....but not many who stand up and say that a rape joke is sick and shame their buddies.

Males can be sodomized, not raped. They can't get pregnant. They don't have a vagina.

Being brutally sodomized is, of course, something that males and females can both endure.

And I'm sick of hearing about males talk about abortion. They are responsible for them, but can't have one. And they whine about wearing condoms. I don't want to hear it.

Thom Hartmann agrees w/ me about abortion.

I thought males would become more enlightened over the years after the Women's Movement of the '60's and '70's. Unfortunately they haven't. Now we just have horribly violent pron against women which makes their relationships w/ 'real' women difficult.

And if a male with a burr up his butt sees this post, he will go get all his buddies and they will attack like a rabid pack of dogs. I've endured this before. I just put them on 'Ignore.'

They don't want to have an adult discussion about what women experience in this world....especially the violence and fear.

[leftyladyfrommo]

73. The women's movement of the 60's kind of got it wrong.

Back then we all thought the big deal was for women to be able to enjoy sex as much as men. And that was important.

But looking back at what really happened I think it may have made things worse. Now so many women seem to be caught in this thing about being sexually attractive - it is so important to be "hot." To be smart and competent but also to be "hot."

What I don't see very often are women who can be just comfortable in their lives. It's so hard to always have to be "on."

Let's face it. Men like "hot" women. The problem is that being a "hot" women diminishes women in so many ways.

[femrap]

75. I grew up in the '60's and we nearly

put the cosmetics & lingerie industries out of business. Big Biz, Organized Religions, TPTB were not going to let women be 'Free.' MSM got the message and it has shoved 'beauty,', 'hotness,' and 'eye candy' down the throats of the women starting around the time of Raygun.

The ERA was very close to passing...it scared the hell out of the boyz. It was the first time that Jews and Muslims worked together on something. Organized religions spent a fortune on stopping this legislation.

No, us Women Libbers did not want nor did we do anything to make today's young women want to be 'hot.' Breast implants, facial plastic surgery, botox???? Who the hell makes money off that? Not us old Women Libbers.

MSM creates insecurities for young woman. I can't even watch today's sit-coms. 'Girls Gone Wild?'

Hell, the entire pronography industry....old Women's Libbers like Andrea Dworkin and Catherine McKinnon fought so hard to stop pron from going mainstream. Too late now. Now da boyz can't have real relationships w/ real women.

I would hate to be a young woman today. The boyz in the '60's had hair as long as mine...Peace, Love, and Rock n' Roll ruled the day. Everyone's clothes were unisex. This scared the MIC to its core. "We can't have boyz with long hair like girls and talking about 'Flower Power.'

No, the Women's Movement of the '60's didn't cause 'HOT.' We're in a HUGE BACKLASH against Women's Liberation. All the makeup, stilettos, short skirts, cleavage....that's a backlash. Young women have to stand up to this shit....it's all brainwashing propaganda.

If you don't think that groups such as The Business Roundtable don't strategize about how to control and manipulate how women spend their money, you're not paying attention. They also don't want them in the business sphere....or on their golf courses.

Fuck hot....that's a creation from Madison Ave. Educate yourself and other young women about it. And to be frank....boyz will do it w/ anyone. They may want to be seen with a good looking women, but once the lights are out....pleeeeeeeeeeeez. Of course I'm an old, jaded cynic who has seen way too much evil from the male species. Hey, they're 95% of the prison population. The Patriarchy has gone just about as far as it can go without destroying the entire planet.

[defendandprotect]

82. Can recognize what you're saying -- especially young girls made very insecure ... but ...

don't think that was direct result of women's movement --

rather I think it is once again the twisting of issues by the right wing --

and often it trades on making females feel insecure and then exploiting those

insecurities!!

IMO, also feel the right wing seeks mainly to move men to violence vs women here

in America -- and we have had a number of incidents where gang rapes occurred --

a few years ago an explosive scandal re numberous women attacked after a parade?

Having their clothing ripped off by gangs of males?

Look at how much corporations are making from internet porn now -- which debases

women and, imo, is simply right wing propaganda to prevent full female equality.

Comcast -- which now owns NBC -- is making somewhere between $500 million and

$1 billion a year from internet porn!!

Not accidental, imo!

[Dash87]

76. Such an ridiculous block of text.

"Men can't experience rape, so they should just shut up about it." Seriously? I'm sure the millions of rape victims that are male, who were molested, etc. would disagree.

Why do you think only men make sick jokes that shouldn't be said?

I think men who are supportive of womens' rights should speak up about it, rather than just being silent. Being silent plays into the hands of those who are against womens' rights.

Blaming porn is just ridiculous. Why do you think porn makes men violent? I don't think it does.

And as for your last sentence, I'm a young woman who walks around with a gigantic bottle of pepper spray in my pocket everywhere I go. I have it pointed up in my pocket, and have its exact position in my head in case some creep attacks me, so that I can get a direct shot into his eyes as quickly as possible. I hope that I never have to use it (and I haven't yet). I think your post is ridiculous.

[Ricepaper]

62. Wonder if she was targeted by Mubarek's thugs

This sounds like a political crime.

[Crowman1979]

66. Well there have been news reports of pro-Mubarek thugs who were told that all reporters are...

...Israeli spies.

[Name removed]

68. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[psychopomp]

69. I think that is exactly what happened

She was arrested and then filed a very critical report of the regime and its targeting of her and her crew once she got out. I suspect that they were followed again and then assaulted by Mubarek's goons.

[JDPriestly]

74. Lara Logan is a brave woman.

In her way, she is fighting for the rights of women in the Middle East.

An assault of that kind does not happen in a public place in a country in which women are respected and enjoy equal rights.

Egyptian women have a long way to go. We American women will be with them all the way.

Thank you, Lara Logan for your sacrifices for the cause of women around the world. Whether you know it or not, you are the kind of feminist who makes a real difference.

[Name removed]

77. Deleted message

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[Honeycombe8]

79. I hope she's physically all right and not permanently injured. I'm sure she will never mentally

be quite the same, after an attack like that.