Law student posts account of sexual assault to fight rape culture

By THE NATION

 

 

BANGKOK: -- A LAW student at Thammasat University has come forward with an account of sexual assault to fight rape culture.

She said her statement was intended to encourage other victims to take action after an assault, since so many kept silent and were repeatedly abused.

 

“Had I decided not to speak up, I might have been a factor that encourages rape culture to happen in the future,” Thararat Panya wrote on Facebook. 

 

Her post included a copy of the university’s decision to punish another law student for violating the student code of conduct with a one-semester suspension and community service. 

 

While Thammasat University described the violation as “inappropriate behaviour”, Thararat has disclosed details about how the senior student in the Faculty of Law allegedly sexually assaulted her. 

 

 

“Fortunately, I had the opportunity to kick him and push him away,” Thararat said. 

 

She admitted being drunk on the night of the incident, when she stayed at a friend’s dormitory room along with several other inebriated friends and senior students. 

 

She said her attacker was one of the senior students that she had previously trusted.

 

Thararat said the student later said he had been drunk and did not mean to assault her. 

 

“But I don’t buy such an excuse. Being drunk does not give you the right to mistreat others,” Thararat said. 

 

She said her post was not intended to humiliate the other student, but instead empower victims of sexual assault. 

 

“Speaking up comes with a price. But I would like to encourage victims to come forward … You have the rights to bring culprits to justice,” she said. 

 

Thararat has made clear she will not try to hide her identity in discussing the incident because she had not done anything wrong. 

 

While her statement has drawn several positive responses and encouraging comments, there has also been negative criticism. 

 

People have posted social media comments attacking her for exposing herself to a possible assault by laying down in a bed with male students after everyone had been drinking. 

 

On a popular Facebook page, Thararat’s comment has generated a huge debate. 

 

“Don’t be naive. It’s not possible to tell dogs that they do not have the right to bark or bite. That’s hard to do even if you have 100 years to try to train those dogs,” Udom Sutti commented. 

 

Another unnamed netizen suggested that drunk males should never put themselves in situations where their sexual urges could overcome their conscience. 

 

“And if you are not drunk, watch your friends. Don’t let the males get close to females. Don’t leave drunk females in dangerous areas,” he said. He added that no one should take risks because the damage from an assault could not be undone. 

 

The administrator of the Facebook page, “Mam Pho Dam”, or “Queen of Spades”, said she would “fight to the end” if any of her younger relatives were assaulted. 

 

She made the comment after helping a schoolgirl demand justice following complaints that a seemingly virtuous teacher had sexually harassed her. “I would like to update [readers] that the school executive has already contacted the girl’s family and promised to take the toughest action against teachers,” she said. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30324483

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-08-22

So a LAW student expects JUSTICE and to shine a spotlight on what she herself perceives as a systemic problem..... by going to complain to the university, but not the police.

And now even that has become a culture. I guess soon we will see rapist gatherings in the streets, welcome to Rapists Pool Party 2018 and "The Rapist" as the most sought for newspaper.

It is disheartening in this day and age where a woman can be assaulted and still be condemned for it. 

 

Only when all people are willing to stand up and say that this is wrong will things begin to change.

 

I am in awe of this young woman's courage

27 minutes ago, Samui Bodoh said:

It is disheartening in this day and age where a woman can be assaulted and still be condemned for it. 

 

Only when all people are willing to stand up and say that this is wrong will things begin to change.

 

I am in awe of this young woman's courage

well said.  

 

Quote

“Don’t be naive. It’s not possible to tell dogs that they do not have the right to bark or bite. That’s hard to do even if you have 100 years to try to train those dogs,” Udom Sutti commented. 

 

You can stop dogs from barking and biting, but you can't cure stupid as seen from Udom here.

1 hour ago, lupin said:

but not the police.

a decent point , yet i believe the police would have done exactly Nothing

6 minutes ago, Bob12345 said:

 

You can stop dogs from barking and biting, but you can't cure stupid as seen from Udom here.

Indeed, seems that people think you have no control over your urges if your drunk, it lowers inhibitions but does not take full control. Drunk is just an other excuse.

7 minutes ago, YetAnother said:

a decent point , yet i believe the police would have done exactly Nothing

agree to a point... but the real irony is she is a LAW student

8 minutes ago, robblok said:

Indeed, seems that people think you have no control over your urges if your drunk, it lowers inhibitions but does not take full control. Drunk is just an other excuse.

 

Drunk seems a common excuse here for all sorts of bad behavior. Too many people don't see that alcohol is a dangerous drug. The lowering of inhibitions means people are much more inclined to do silly things they'd never do if sober. 

 

Here though, if this young lady complained to the police they're more likely to tell her off for being silly enough to put herself in such a situation and for drinking too much!

 

 

4 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 

Drunk seems a common excuse here for all sorts of bad behavior. Too many people don't see that alcohol is a dangerous drug. The lowering of inhibitions means people are much more inclined to do silly things they'd never do if sober. 

 

Here though, if this young lady complained to the police they're more likely to tell her off for being silly enough to put herself in such a situation and for drinking too much!

 

 

Yes alcohol is dangerous, but fun too for many people. Its just that some people just should not drink. Too bad we can't get a license to use certain drugs and others can't use them. People always do more stupid things when drunk.. but also when in a group of friends.

 

Yes here they always seem to blame the girl.. gets a bit boring.

36 minutes ago, robblok said:

Yes alcohol is dangerous, but fun too for many people. Its just that some people just should not drink. Too bad we can't get a license to use certain drugs and others can't use them. People always do more stupid things when drunk.. but also when in a group of friends.

 

Yes here they always seem to blame the girl.. gets a bit boring.

 

Cultural thing - "nice girls don't get drunk and hang out with groups of drunk boys unless they accept the risks" type attitude. Don't see the BiB changing many attitudes in reality.

 

Alcohol. like all drugs affects different people in different ways. Quantity taken also affects differently. Social drinking is different to binge drinking and heavy drinking. I've seen a lot of alcohol fueled violence, and it isn't very nice.

in any other country the one that attacked her would be locked up, his degree cancelled and removed from the uni, here they suspend him for 1 semester so they can continue to get his money and because  they think thai men are superior to women, again we see the thai culture showing  how it can be, easier to blame the woman than make the man responsible for what he did

48 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 

Cultural thing - "nice girls don't get drunk and hang out with groups of drunk boys unless they accept the risks" type attitude. Don't see the BiB changing many attitudes in reality.

 

Alcohol. like all drugs affects different people in different ways. Quantity taken also affects differently. Social drinking is different to binge drinking and heavy drinking. I've seen a lot of alcohol fueled violence, and it isn't very nice.

Yes alcohol fueled violence is not nice at all, thankfully I am not a bar type and don't drink much myself so I don't encounter it often. I did encounter it a few times when younger. I never get violent on any drug I have tried so far. Alcohol (in sufficient quantities) only makes me sleepy. 

I assume the university is being prosecuted for covering up and failing to report a rape to the police, rather than suspend the student for his criminal act.

3 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

It is disheartening in this day and age where a woman can be assaulted and still be condemned for it. 

 

Only when all people are willing to stand up and say that this is wrong will things begin to change.

 

I am in awe of this young woman's courage

In one way she is lucky to be in Thailand and just be condemned, in some countries she would be stoned to death. 

But top marks in her endeavour to make an issue of it, if everyone who experienced such an act complained out loud and did something positive about it, eventually there would be change. 

5 hours ago, lupin said:

So a LAW student expects JUSTICE and to shine a spotlight on what she herself perceives as a systemic problem..... by going to complain to the university, but not the police.

She is absolutely right to make the university face up to its responsibilities. As for complaining to the police, only a tiny minority of Thai women do this after being sexually assaulted, for reasons which should be obvious to anyone familiar with the Thai justice (sic) system.

 

 

7 hours ago, lupin said:

So a LAW student expects JUSTICE and to shine a spotlight on what she herself perceives as a systemic problem..... by going to complain to the university, but not the police.

I applaud the bravery and honesty of the girl. 

The culture of the university is a problem. 

As was their  decision to punish the rapist themselves, and not take it to the police as they should have in any normal society. 

 

8 hours ago, Get Real said:

And now even that has become a culture. I guess soon we will see rapist gatherings in the streets, welcome to Rapists Pool Party 2018 and "The Rapist" as the most sought for newspaper.

Where is rape mentioned in the OP?

 

“Fortunately, I had the opportunity to kick him and push him away,” Thararat said

 

Seems rape did not occur.

This is the problem these days when using an all encompassing phrase like sexual assault.

It could mean anything from rape, to a pat on the bum.

Not saying a pat on the bum is acceptable but that and actual rape are a long way apart.

5 hours ago, Bangkok Barry said:

I assume the university is being prosecuted for covering up and failing to report a rape to the police, rather than suspend the student for his criminal act.

Perhaps they failed to report a rape because a rape did not occur.

 

“Fortunately, I had the opportunity to kick him and push him away,” Thararat said

 

Try reading the OP fully before assuming anything and jumping to conclusions.

 

Can you really imagine what would happen in a western country? 

Police investigate a group of uni students who had been drinking.

They find that one lad attempts to makes an advance on a young lady.

She kicks him (possibly in the balls).  

 

Which, from what I can see as reported in the english version, is pretty well what happened.

 

Do you really expect the lad to be charged with rape?

Edited August 22, 20178 yr by tryasimight

Can anyone see mention of rape in either the English or Thai versions?

1 hour ago, tryasimight said:

Where is rape mentioned in the OP?

 

“Fortunately, I had the opportunity to kick him and push him away,” Thararat said

 

Seems rape did not occur.

This is the problem these days when using an all encompassing phrase like sexual assault.

It could mean anything from rape, to a pat on the bum.

Not saying a pat on the bum is acceptable but that and actual rape are a long way apart.

Yeah, if you put on your reading glasses, then you would see where is was referred to as rape culture. If not please ask somebody close to you read the post. 

1 minute ago, Get Real said:

Yeah, if you put on your reading glasses, then you would see where is was referred to as rape culture. If not please ask somebody close to you read the post. 

Thank you for agreeing with my statement.

1 hour ago, tryasimight said:

Thank you for agreeing with my statement.

What??? 

Edited August 22, 20178 yr by Get Real

Just now, Get Real said:

What??? 

Yes a total joke

1 hour ago, tryasimight said:

Yes a total joke

Thanks for admitting to that. I have always admired people who know themselfs and their limits. Cheers!

Now we take all from the beginning:

This was the first line in the OP and also included in the headline
BANGKOK: -- A LAW student at Thammasat University has come forward with an account of sexual assault to fight rape culture.

 

I referred to the mentioning of rape culture. Never claimed that a rape had happened to the person described in the OP.

I wrote: And now even that has become a culture. I guess soon we will see rapist gatherings in the streets, welcome to Rapists Pool Party 2018 and "The Rapist" as the most sought for newspaper.

I was meant to be sarcastic and revolting. Still had not anything metntioned of that a rape had happened.

You replied with that, though, with "Where is rape mentioned in the OP?" see below.
 

4 hours ago, tryasimight said:

Where is rape mentioned in the OP?

 

“Fortunately, I had the opportunity to kick him and push him away,” Thararat said

 

Seems rape did not occur.

This is the problem these days when using an all encompassing phrase like sexual assault.

It could mean anything from rape, to a pat on the bum.

Not saying a pat on the bum is acceptable but that and actual rape are a long way apart.

Never talked about rape, I was still referring to the mentioned rape culture, That because it´s to me not in anyway something that should be stamped as a culture, and should never be allowed to be.

After followed the following. Please see below.

 

3 hours ago, Get Real said:

Yeah, if you put on your reading glasses, then you would see where is was referred to as rape culture. If not please ask somebody close to you read the post. 

 

3 hours ago, tryasimight said:

Thank you for agreeing with my statement.

 

1 hour ago, Get Real said:

What??? 

 

1 hour ago, tryasimight said:

Yes a total joke

 

Never agreed with you, and never will. That because you did not understand what you read and commented the first time.

If there might be a slight joke somewhere in this, then I therefore gues that it´s on you. Absolutely nothing very wrong. Just read a little bit better next time, so we don´t need to have this kind of explaination university.

4 minutes ago, Get Real said:

Thanks for admitting to that. I have always admired people who know themselfs and their limits. Cheers!

Now we take all from the beginning:

This was the first line in the OP and also included in the headline
BANGKOK: -- A LAW student at Thammasat University has come forward with an account of sexual assault to fight rape culture.

 

I referred to the mentioning of rape culture. Never claimed that a rape had happened to the person described in the OP.

I wrote: And now even that has become a culture. I guess soon we will see rapist gatherings in the streets, welcome to Rapists Pool Party 2018 and "The Rapist" as the most sought for newspaper.

I was meant to be sarcastic and revolting. Still had not anything metntioned of that a rape had happened.

You replied with that, though, with "Where is rape mentioned in the OP?" see below.
 

Never talked about rape, I was still referring to the mentioned rape culture, That because it´s to me not in anyway something that should be stamped as a culture, and should never be allowed to be.

After followed the following. Please see below.

 

 

 

 

 

Never agreed with you, and never will. That because you did not understand what you read and commented the first time.

If there might be a slight joke somewhere in this, then I therefore gues that it´s on you. Absolutely nothing very wrong. Just read a little bit better next time, so we don´t need to have this kind of explaination university.

I asked a question....where was rape mentioned in the OP?.....answer is it wasn't...the rest of you dribble is superfluous. And quite tiresome.

8 minutes ago, tryasimight said:

I asked a question....where was rape mentioned in the OP?.....answer is it wasn't...the rest of you dribble is superfluous. And quite tiresome.

Hopeless! You quote me and ask for something I never mentioned. Are you then meaning that you didn´t understand the article in the OP? You were not sure about if that one mentioned anything about a rape? Did you ask me to go back, read the OP again and check for you?
I am sorry! I didn´t get that one. Probably because nobody ever asked me for that before.

Edited August 22, 20178 yr by Get Real

5 minutes ago, Get Real said:

Hopeless! You quote me and ask for something I never mentioned. Are you then meaning that you didn´t understand the article in the OP? You were not sure about if that one mentioned anything about a rape? Did you ask me to go back, read the OP again and check for you?
I am sorry! I didn´t get that one. Probably because nobody ever asked me for that before.

Take an aspirin and have a lay down.......some things are better to let slide.

3 minutes ago, tryasimight said:

Take an aspirin and have a lay down.......some things are better to let slide.

Well , I guessed that was your solution with upcoming problems. Sounds like that. They call it "mai bpen rai" here. I usually see it better to admitt my mistakes when I make them. Also much healthier to not eat medicin when there is another solution.