Unless you have been asleep (or obsessively decorating for Halloween...same) for the last week, you've heard about Kim Kardashian being robbed at gunpoint in her Paris hotel room.
Admittedly, there are some valid doubts surrounding the exact circumstances of that evening, and investigations are still underway. Truth be told, the world may never know the facts, gnarled as they become once mainstream media gets a whiff of anything that could up their ratings.
Factual or not, plenty of articles have still been published on the subject, littering our Facebook feeds for days now. If you were to scroll through the comment thread of any such article you'll find reactions ranging from indifference to outright cruel, body shaming, sexist slander.
A few particularly heinous examples include:
"Serves her right."
"Even looking at a picture of that pig makes me sick. She's disgusting."
"I'm surprised they only robbed her, with an ass like that."
"Look at her trying to act like it's her first time with 5 guys at once."
"They should have shot her in the head, the world would be a safer place."
"Hope the wh*re isn't "shaken up" too much. That massive nasty ass could cause an earthquake, or even worse, shift the earth's rotational axis."
While it was typically men taking this opportunity to degrade Kim physically, often alluding to rape, females of all ages were right there with them, hurling insults at her character.
What does it say about our culture that the first thought when a woman is in a vulnerable position is to degrade or do irreparable harm? Rape is not a joke, and suggesting that someone should be made to suffer the physical and psychological damages that accompany rape makes you a concerning member of society who should deeply consider seeking help.
Frankly, the fact that anyone's first thought was something other than, "that's awful, she must have been terrified, I'm glad she's alright" is sickening.
Let's review.
A list of reasons why people believe that Kim Kardashian deserved this kind of traumatic incident:
1). She flaunts her wealth.
Warn your friends with Tory Burch sunglasses or Coach wallets, apparently making purchases with earned money now warrants being bound and shoved in a tub.
2). She got famous from a sex tape.
Call me dense, but I fail to see how what she does with her body, and how much of it she chooses to cover or reveal, is anyone's business but her own. I also am simply lost as to why a personal tragedy seems the appropriate time to bring up her business credentials.
3). She posts too much information on social media.
People. Get off your high horse. We're all social media fiends. You just scrolled through your Facebook feed for 15 minutes before finding this article. And I happen to know that you went to the diner and got pancakes last night then stopped at the 6th street beach for a sunset photo-op. What a luxury that no one showed up there to terrorize you. Disclosure of information on social media, while potentially dangerous, is not a crime. Luckily for all of us it does not repeat, does not make it reasonable for someone to shove a gun in our face.
In fact, here is a comprehensive list of the reasons why any person deserves to be a victim of violent crime:
And once more for the people in the back:
Mhm.
In no way am I insinuating everyone had these types of reactions, unfortunately, in this situation, the unkind words are the loudest? However, it is time to acknowledge that the overall response to her misfortune accentuates both the prevalence of rape culture and abuse and an overall lack of empathy that is both heartbreaking and frightening. Some have pointed out, and I think it is imperative to remember, that whatever Kim Kardashian is to you, be it an idol, an annoyance, or nothing at all, she is still a mother, a wife, a daughter, a sister, and a friend. Oh, and most importantly, beneath all of those labels, she is a person, that deserves the basic human right of feeling safe in their environment. No amount of fame, or money, or your personal distaste for her, changes that she is made of the same flesh and blood as anyone else. I like to think we can do better as a people than berating and abusing someone when they are at their most vulnerable. Be kind to each other.
