Rape menace from the melting pot' : racialisation and the moral panic over 'ethnic gang rape' in Sydney, 2001-2002

Scott Poynting, Greg Noble

    Research output: Chapter in Book / Conference PaperConference Paper

    Abstract

    ![CDATA[This paper analyses the ideological elements of the moral panic about 'ethnic gang rape' in Sydney over 2001-2002, following a series of group sexual assaults in western Sydney in 2000 for which a number of a group of young Lebanese-Australian men were convicted. The interwoven ideological threads of the moral panic involve common-sense 'orientalism' of the Arab/Muslim Other's masculinity as deviant, immoral and dangerous; it is racialised and criminalised. These contradictory racist themes include: Lebanese/Muslim men's purported disrespect of women in general; Lebanese/Muslim men being allegedly brought up to regard 'White', 'Western', 'Caucasian', etc, women as 'sluts' and thus 'fair game'; 'ethnic gang rape' as an expression of anti-'Aussie', anti-White, anti-Western hatred which is supposedly encouraged in Muslim communities at large; Muslim and 'Third-World' cultures as barbaric, uncivilised, violent and misogynistic in their law and their morality; condemnation of laxity and indulgence in the Australian legal and political system towards transgressors and calls to mete out 'their own medicine'.]]
    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publicationTASA 2003 Conference Proceedings : New Times, New Worlds, New Ideas : Sociology Today and Tomorrow, University of New England, Armidale, 4-6 December, 2003
    PublisherAustralian Sociological Association
    Number of pages18
    ISBN (Electronic)9780646429274
    ISBN (Print)0646429272
    Publication statusPublished - 2003
    EventAustralian Sociological Association. Conference -
    Duration: 26 Nov 2012 → …

    Conference

    ConferenceAustralian Sociological Association. Conference
    Period26/11/12 → …

    Keywords

    • gang rape
    • ethics
    • ethnic relations
    • crime
    • culture
    • Sydney (N.S.W.)
    • Australia
    • urban living
    • Western Sydney (N.S.W.)
    • culture conflict
    • New South Wales
    • multiculturalism
    • Centre for Western Sydney

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