Column
Why Do Men’s Legacies Matter More Than Women’s Safety?
When a Washington Post reporter was harassed after tweeting a link to the rape accusations against Kobe Bryant, the paper didn’t protect her—it punished her
Almost immediately after Washington Post reporter Felicia Sonmez tweeted out a link to an article about the 2003 rape accusation against Kobe Bryant, who died on Sunday alongside his 13-year-old daughter and seven others, the harassment began. Sonmez was harangued and threatened, her address posted publicly. In fear for her safety, she checked into a hotel.
On Monday, the Washington Post put Sonmez on administrative leave, noting in a statement that the paper was reviewing whether her tweets violated their social media policy, and saying that she “displayed poor judgment that undermined the work of her colleagues.”
Her tweet, which was presented without comment, linked to a Daily Beast article from 2016 headlined, “Kobe Bryant’s Disturbing Rape Case.” She also tweeted about the thousands of people who responded with abuse and threats, and noted that it “speaks volumes about the pressure people come under to stay silent in these cases.”
