thank you helen for a timely article - acute in its thinking and concise in its writing.

Sigh. Here again we have another high profile player again in the media for alleged sexual assault offences. Despite the 'no comment' approach being taken at the moment, I'll give it 48 hours before the player's name is out in the media, even before charges, if they are ever laid, are made.

http://www.news.com.au/national/collingwood-players-in-sex-assault-probe/story-e6frfkx0-1225933803845

What ever the truth of the matter, whether any offences have happened or not, there needs to be a re-think of how the media handles these issues.

At the moment we are back to strapping witches on top of bomb-fires and lighting the match even before charges are laid.

I think the Author underestimates the relevance of character evidence. If the evidence in question had been from a woman saying the accused was a lecherous pervert who doesn't take no for an answer, I'm sure she would have seen the relevance in it

Rhys Jones that's gold!

'It is a rather quaint idea that Helen has got going that men are somehow programmed (hard-wired?) to keep following through once they get the scent as it were - just like that randy Fox Terrier next door (reptilian part of the brain?)- and that the 'culture' accepts and rewards them for that.

The 'little head' over-rules the one above the shoulders, they say. We can never civilise that out of them and that is why women must always be on the look-out, preferably with a panic button to push and a policeman on call. '

Yep, that's the gist of it cornflower.

I like men! They don't mean to rape, it's just in their nature.

Houellebecq,

Good sterotype. Excellent. I like it.

Which Australian university did you learn it from?

University of NSW?