Washington Post DV Series Draws Criticisms

Predictably, the Washington Post's recent series on maternal murders has drawn criticism. Click "Read more..." for excerpts and links.

NEWS FLASH

The Washington Post has just concluded a three-part series on Maternal Homicide. The series presented a one-sided view of domestic violence which stereotyped and vilified men. The articles were seen as a publicity effort by the Washington Post on behalf of the Violence Against Women Act, which comes up for renewal this coming year.

Now, the critics are having a field day. Here are five examples:

1. THE MUDDLED MATERNAL MURDER SERIES LOSES ITS WAY

Research shows that women are just as likely as men to instigate domestic violence:

Slate editor Jack Shafer criticizes the failure of the Washington Post series to meet minimal standards of good journalism. Shafer concludes:

"The pity of this series is that after latching on to a compelling subject and reporting the murderous hell out of it, the Post lost track of what all its research added up to."

2. EXPECTANT MOTHERS' REAL RISK OF VIOLENCE

Richard Davis takes aim at the shoddy statistical methods used by Washington Post reporter Donna St. George, especially her reference to a 2002 Massachusetts study. Davis summarizes:

"The problem of domestic violence, in all its different insidious forms, must not be used by any single group as a means to achieve their particular social and political agenda."

3. WOMAN STRANGLES EXPECTANT MOTHER, CUTS OUT BABY - ANDY ROONEY UNAVAILABLE FOR COMMENT

What is distressing is the Washington Post reporters have seemingly ignored the efforts of WP readers to correct the bias.

Mike LaSalle was disturbed by the media's attempt to sweep the Bobbie Jo Stinnett murder under the rug. He comments:

"The Washington Post has gone several steps further with a three-part series meant to dilute the gruesome murder of Bobbie Jo Stinnett at the hands of Lisa Montgomery by reminding readers that Scott Peterson did it too, and by restaging Stinnett's unique murder as a statistical fluke against the backdrop of 'hundreds' of murders of pregnant women that have taken place of the years."

4. PREGNANT WOMEN, PREPARE TO BE MURDERED

Peter Ambler takes issue with the fear-mongering tone of the Washington Post series. He notes:

"Instead of creating a discourse addressing the vulnerability and disconnectedness of young girls who become pregnant, Ms. St. George fear-mongers by talking about the invisability of this 'social syndrome' and intimating that, because of our ignorance, maternal homicide is far more prevalent than she can even currently count."

5. WHY YOU SHOULD FIGHT VAWA

Trudy Schuett sees the VAWA legislation as having an essentially ideological agenda. She writes:

"VAWA is nothing more than one of the last bastions of feminist superiority. We can erase this horrible mistake and begin to move forward in providing real help for the abused if we can get rid of this badly-conceived law."

THE ONE-SIDED REPORTING NEEDS TO STOP

The skeptics have spoken their minds - now how about you?

1. Letters to the Editor: letters@washpost.com

The Washington Post

1150 15th Street, NW

Washington, D.C. 20071

(Include your name, address, and daytime telephone number)

2. Donna St. George

E-mail: stgeorgedr@washpost.com

3. Washington Post Ombudsman:

Michael Getler

E-mail: ombudsman@washpost.com

Telephone: 202-334-7582

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