Hello readers! Due to some technical and internet difficulties, aliasmitch was not able to schedule an 8 a.m. post. The full version of his next installment of “In Search of Our Queer Gardens” should be posted sometime later today. Our sincerest apologies to all of our readers, and the post will be up as soon as possible. In the meantime, you all should check out this event that is tonight, at 6:30 p.m. in ISAT 136:
The event Remembering Yearley Love’s Story—A Discussion About Dating Violence seeks to educate the JMU student population about the prevalence, severity and preventability of dating and intimate partner violence on college campuses. Speakers Candy Phillips and Melissa Waite will share experiences working at First Step, Harrisonburg’s battered women’s shelter and Dr. Jenelle Boo and Patricia Crocker will inform students about counseling services for survivors and victims. This event aims to educate males and females about violence and will take place in ISAT/CS 136 at 6:30 pm on Tuesday April 10th.
If you don’t remember, the murder of Yeardley Love was a high-profile case of intimate partner violence. Love was a UVa women’s lacrosse player who was killed by her ex-boyfriend, also a lacrosse player, George Huguley. Following their brief relationship, police found evidence that Huguley had sent Love threatening text messages and emails, and uncovered stories of other violent episodes in which Love had been threatened. Huguley was given a 26 year sentence for second degree murder and grand larceny. I definitely recommend attending this very worthwhile event which is taking on a topic that is not often talked about and needs to be brought to light. The organizer also said, “I will also be showing segments of the “Bro Code” about how American culture breeds misogynistic and patriarchal men.”
[Trigger warning: graphic description of intimate partner violence]
The above video describes the brutality of the violence Huguley enacted on Love. The reporter in the video also notes that, at the time, Huguley’s lawyers were attempting to get a lesser sentence, arguing that Love’s death was an accident. These are words that are often thrown around in intimate partner violence cases – it was an accident, an act of passion, whatever. But the previous instances of physical abuse, and the consistent threats, indicate that there was no accident. Huguely intended to hurt Love. And in intimate partner abuse cases, the most violent acts tend to be when the abused partner leaves or attempts to leave. Women are eight times more likely than men to be killed by their partner. Yet the average prison sentence for a man who kills his partner is tw0 to six years, while the average sentence for a woman who kill their male partners is 15 years, despite the fact that most women who kill their partners did so in self defense. Clearly, there are serious issues in the way we, as a society, handle intimate partner violence.
Also, check out this trailer for the “Bro Code”:
ShoutOut! James Madison University 