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Updated 5pm
THERE ARE REPORTS that The Sun has stopped publishing pictures of topless models on page three.
The newspaper has not published a picture of a topless model on page three since Friday – after 44 years of doing so.
The Sun faced pressure from anti-sexism campaigners, politicians and student bodies claiming it was sexist.
The paper is owned by Rupert Murdoch’s News UK and Murdoch himself described it as “old fashioned” last year.
The Guardian has reported that it had spoken to “a series of insiders” who said the feature has been dropped.
While The Times – which has the same publisher as The Sun – reported that the tabloid decided to quietly drop the feature.
However, the head of PR for the tabloid, David Sharpe, is tweeting about the reports calling them ‘speculation’:
However, very little clarity has been given by the paper on the issue:
A petition to stop The Sun publishing Page 3 gathered more than 217,000 signatures.
The No More Page 3 protest group wrote a message on its Facebook page which read:
Wow..we’re hearing the Sun may have dropped Pg3. This could be truly historic news and a great day for people power… We don’t know the details for sure and there’still lots to be done… But this could be a huge step for challenging media sexism.
Today’s edition features Hollyoaks actresses running along a beach in their bikinis. However, readers are told to go online to see “Page 3 Lucy from London”.
The Irish edition of The Sun dropped Page 3 in 2013. The Sun’s Irish editor, Paul Clarkson, told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland last year that he was listening to readers and that there were ‘cultural differences’ between Ireland and Britain.
He also said his decision was commercial and was about the need to retain sales and the possibility of attracting new buyers.
The news has seen huge comment online, with a range of opinions:
A Fine Gael councillor who criticised ‘feminazis’ for the change later apologised for his comments.
What do you think of the move?
Additional reporting by Aoife Barry
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Ireland has an extremely low rate for prosecution of rape cases, very few people come forward, less get sentenced and less again get a lenght sentence for what is considered to be the second most violent crime in Irish statute books. These stories whilst horrific only distract us from harrowing regular occurrence that take place on our shores. Read the SAVI report, see that
1 in 3 women are sexually assaulted in Ireland and 1 in 5 are raped and regularly these assaults are done by people they know. Worry about how your brother’s, fathers, nephews seek consent from women, rather than looking to a county far away that does messed up crap and point the finger while ignoring the nonsense in your own country, that you can help break down.
@Maggie Corrigan: Didn’t they also report 1 in 5 men have been sexually assaulted. If you consider rape a crime of violence you may also have to consider how men are often violently attacked. Not belittling rape just pointing out that men live with dangers often ignored with victim blaming a huge issue. Violence is a problem but putting extra emphasis on sexual violence may obscure and diminish the impact on all of society
@Maggie Corrigan: i agree with your sentiment, but 1 in 3, 1 in 5. Where did you pluck these numbers from? Exaggerating the problem is exactly why the #metoo is now just a pathetic fame seeking device which harms the real victims of abuse.
@Maggie Corrigan: making up statistics like 1 in 5 doesn’t help change the situation. It makes people doubt everything else you’re saying. Our justice system needs a compete overhaul as it’s not fit for purpose on prosecutions and sentences for all crimes, not just rape.
@Toomasu Sumitsu: I actually think the 1 in 3 is correct but it covers everything with sexual assault being any small interaction such as an unwanted touch on the arm.
@Maggie Corrigan: genuine question, how could it be 1 in 3 or 1 in 5 here but only 1 in 15 in Japan which the article states as an incredibly patriarchal society with near no support for victims? Trying to get my head around how incidence can be proportionally higher here if we are more supportive.
I thought Japan had moved on past that carry on to the same extent as the western world ,not near good enough but would look down on rapists
I’ve visited 5-6 times and found that women are extremely safe and very well treated. I worked with lots of women in powerful positions. However there are strict gender roles that may seem unusual to western society. Like at a business meeting in a bar it’s common for girls in the group to top up your beer if it’s getting low. At the same time everyone is very respectful to each other and having a great time. Japan is so far ahead of western society in so many ways. Maybe the gender subjects don’t fit western leftist ideals but there’s no argument that their culture is beautiful and their people unique among the worlds 1st works nations.
@René Laurent: Japan it’s still a fundamentally misogynist country where rapists are rarely prosecuted and at best settle out of court. Of course Japan is far more advanced in other ways. Japan still largly shuns the Comfort Women from the war and raped women are often thought and treated as tainted. A change is needed in this multilayered society and thats the point.
@René Laurent: rapes don’t take place at high level meetings ,I would imagine .If the article is a fact and the women who are affected are looked down on by their fellow women I don’t know where to go from there
@René Laurent: interesting perspective. However demanding equality for women is not “leftist”. Removing impunity for rape is not leftist either. The Japanese obsession with “face” is nothing to be admired. Embarrassment is to avoided at all costs. Shame appears to be a strong societal controlling factor. They need to evolve just like western society. Hopefully they can keep the best while losing the medieval shackles.
@René Laurent: still no chance of getting groped on a train then?
@J: Japan is 20 odd years behind the west. There is a quagmire of anomalies there re: women’s right to speak out and sexuality. I lived there for 15 years. There is very much a “ put up with it “ culture. It is so sad that there is no recognition of the scars that rape can leave. The women though have compounded the situation themselves by not speaking out against all gender inequalities within their society. They thought I was so strong ? I was normal but the strong bit may have been I voice my opinion. Love Japan fascinating place but advancement of women will never move like the west. ( I wish it would )
@John R: maybe they should be let evolve on their own though. Why must we impose western cultural values on them? It’s their culture, not ours. Leave them to get on with it on their own. The Me too people constantly portray western culture as a patriarchy that must be changed yet on the other hand say it’s soooo much better than other cultures. Maybe it’s all a smokescreen and just women jumping on a big bandwagon…and crying because their Japanese sisters aren’t joining in droves. Feminism and Me too doesn’t isn’t as pure as the driven snow you know…there is a lot of misandry wrapped up in it too…maybe many Japanese women don’t want to get wrapped up with it for just that reason.
@Kevin Tyrrell: Not ignoring the rest of your comment but the phrase “as pure as the driven snow” does not mean something is pure. It means the opposite in fact.
Very backward place in many ways. Woman are basically treated like dirt
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