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It's all about him, isn't it?
In fact, there's quite a lot to unpack about how this story was reported.
Here we go...
In fact, there's quite a lot to unpack about how this story was reported.
Here we go...
The article spends a lot of time discussing how Burnell has suffered as a result of what he did. While Burnell is certainly entitled to legal representation, the newspaper decides how much of the abuser's defense it wants to print.
...and it goes on. The newspaper is subtling asking the reader to make a judgement about whether he's been punished fairly
And then this. So the reader is meant to ask, 'is that all that happened? It could have been worse and look at his punishment in return.'
But this is the real salt in the wound, this is the knowing wink to the reader, the incitement to round on the victim - Ms Phillips was a rich bitch. 'Poor Ms Phillips has lost her mind coats and jewellery'.
Then, at the very end, the briefest suggestion that Ms Phillips might be in a coercive relationship.
Folks, this is what the normalisation of violence against women looks like.
Folks, this is what the normalisation of violence against women looks like.
