The New York Times published:

Ms. Roberts has given different accounts in the past, including calling the rape accusation a 'crock'...

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New Account of Party at Duke Responded to by Anastasia Webb

Dear New York Times Editor,

Duff Wilsonís story, 'New Account of Party at Duke,' adds nothing to what he has already written about this case.  He is intent on making the accused men, who he respectfully calls lacrosse players, seem like hapless, innocent victims of treachery.  He also spells out for his readers his contempt for the woman that says the Duke ìlacrosse playersî raped her.  Mr. Wilson refuses to label the woman in any other terms than ìthe stripper;î by doing this, he intentionally stigmatizes her for the public and discredits her claim of rape.  Why canít he call her a college student and mother of two?  If he is going to continue to describe the accused men in terms of what positively distinguishes them as human beings, why can he not be equally as humane in his treatment of the victim? I can only assume that Mr. Wilson, for personal reasons, has already prejudged the victim and decided she is lying and now seeks to convince the public of his opinion. 

This woman who says three men at a party raped her has nothing to gain and everything to lose in prosecuting this case.  It is pure ignorance to suggest otherwise.  Rape victims often change their stories, not because they are liars, but because they have suffered trauma that often makes details of the rape obscured or blocked out entirely.  Am I to believe that the New York Times doesnít have this very basic knowledge of rape trauma?


Anastasia Webb.