Trinity College Magazine Apologizes For ‘Date Rape’ Story

The apology was issued on Twitter. Trinity College’s Miscellany Magazine issued an apology yesterday following the publication of an article which appeared in a guide for the Trinity Ball 2015 which took place last night. The article received a lot of backlash online as it appeared to promote rape culture in the guide to the Ball.

published by @TCDMiscellany : 2 lads dress up as paramedics and rape a drunk woman put in their care @tcdsu pic.twitter.com/nER6LiWkWd — Lorna Bogue (@LornaBogue) April 17, 2015

Copies of the guide, which have since been recalled, had a story by an anonymous author which detailed the experience of the author and his ‘Eskimo brother’ gaining entry to a previous Trinity Ball event. The article stated that they had obtained entry by dressing up as paramedics. It provoked enormous reaction online as the term ‘Eskimo brother’, according to Urban Dictionary, is a slang term referring to two males who have been intimate with the same woman.

That story in the @TCDMiscellany Trinity Ball Guide made it onto the table and then past editorial. At least three people must have read it. — Gareth Walker-Ayers (@Gwalkerayers) April 17, 2015

...we accept entirely that it was in poor taste. We offer our most sincere apologies for this oversight on our part, we are genuinely sorry — Trinity MIS© (@TCDMiscellany) April 17, 2015

.@TCDMiscellany This is more than a mere "oversight". "Clearly untrue" means it's a rape fantasy in your magazine. I would be recalling it. — Fiona Hyde (@andgoseek) April 17, 2015

It's not "in poor taste" - it's fucking horrendous. As a former TCDSU welfare officer I am horrified that this was published @TCDMiscellany — Stephanie Fleming (@Stephanenny) April 17, 2015

@FionaCuffed @LornaBogue @TCDMiscellany It's so bad. The reason people who do this kind of thing do is cos they see this and think it's OK. — Fiona Hyde (@andgoseek) April 17, 2015

Can you explain how many people thought it was ok to publish a story of a rape as "humour" please? @Stephanenny @TCDMiscellany — Sinéad Redmond (@sineadredmond) April 17, 2015

We truly are sorry for publishing this piece. If anyone has been affected by the issues raised, please contact @tcdsuwelfare or @DublinRCC — Trinity MIS© (@TCDMiscellany) April 17, 2015

We are recalling hard copies from campus. Again, we are genuinely sorry for publishing this, it was a huge mistake on our part. — Trinity MIS© (@TCDMiscellany) April 17, 2015

Our most sincere apologies. pic.twitter.com/cCiDAZ3Bcv — Trinity MIS© (@TCDMiscellany) April 17, 2015