Re: Share the blame

After maturing and gaining considerable knowledge in the year since my last letter to the editor was published, I would like to take some time to reflect upon my views.

The article was titled “Share the Blame” and was in response to the frequent articles written by the IDS on the topic of rape.

I believed the overwhelming number of articles published on the topic made readers unreasonably fearful of their environment and less trusting of one another.

Ironically, my letter was an attempt to mitigate the fear experienced by the general public, but it probably did more to perpetuate that fear.

About a year ago, I presented a narrative in which women bore the brunt of the blame.
I would like to take the time now to acknowledge that it was a distorted perspective
.
Women should not have to worry about bringing a guy home in fear of being raped.
The man who rapes her is wrong, 100 percent. I am embarrassed that I could have ever been so ignorant as to endorse a view to the contrary.

I would like to personally apologize to a women by the name of Rachel who wrote a piece in response to my letter a year ago.

In the response, you mentioned you are a rape survivor.

I would like to apologize for offending you. You share none of the blame.

­— Michael Barbieri
Michael Barbieri’s
original letter to the editor ,“Share the Blame”, was published by the IDS
on Feb. 13, 2013.