Interesting. I heard back from Olivia G the woman who uses the prospect of gang rape as an argument to win converts to her political position. The word 'converts' may be especially appropriate as Ms. G claims to be a former nun. Of course, the new email (reprinted in full below) stands by her wish for me to be physically and repeated raped with the subject line remaining " I HOPE YOU GET GANG_RAPED 20 times and nobody believes you." I say 'of course' because, in my experience, people who are vicious and cowardly rarely look in a mirror then say "Gee, you are right. That was vicious and cowardly of me."

This incident interests me because I think there is an article here. The subject of women bloggers being threatened and harassed is a hot topic right now but the fact that other women are eagerly perpertrating the viciousness is not being addressed. I spent some time on the Internet yesterday tracking down who Olivia G is in real life. (BTW, the fact that Ms. G not merely wrote to me personally but also cc:ed her quasi-threats to a public address, thus notifying one of my employers of her desire for me to be gang-raped, pretty much obviates her right to privacy in my mind.) In a surprisingly short period of time and at no expense, I discovered her home address, her phone number, some details of her real estate holdings, what I presume to be the name of her Bishop, etc. etc. etc. All this without even expanding the headers on her email to me. I wonder what would happen to the civility of the Internet if everyone who received vicious emails did 20 minutes research on the sender and, then, forwarded the original email to the sender's employee or Bishop or other significant figure. In Ms. G' case it would be a public service to let her Bishop know that, after worshipping God and praising Christ in his Church, she sends her unsolicited fantasies of gang-rape to other women. What a fool this person is to give someone she is attacking such a weapon.

For better or worse, I don't have a taste for blood. But the idea of imposing civility on the Internet by unmasking the people who threaten and abuse is intriguing. They get away with it partly because they do not care what the Internet community thinks of them. BUT they do have communities about which they care...their families, their workplaces, their churches, etc. If they walk into your life with the deliberate intent to threat and harass, then it is mere justice to walk into theirs in order to expose their viciousness to a community in which their reputation does means something to them. It is justice for actions to have consequences. I almost wish I had a taste for blood but cultivating that aspect of human nature would make me more like the Olivia Gs of the world and there are already too many; I rather like the fact that I don't want anyone to be physically harmed for expressing opinions.

Mostly, the incident would just make a good article.

Her latest email and my commentary on it follow.

The text from "I-want-women-gang-raped Olivia G" is in italics. My commentary is in regular font.

Well Wendy, the fact that you put my name on your blog complaining about this harassment, means you were so scared of being gang-raped with no one believing you that you were in fact raped, that means now you know how it hurts women further when they are raped and no one believes them.

Hmm...so talking publicly about something is an expression of fear. Interesting take. As a matter of record, I've discussed my own experience of raped before and I frankly refuse to let anyone -- man or woman -- hold the prospect of another rape over my head as some sort of scare tactic. If I get raped again, then that's what will happen. But I won't stop writing what I believe to be true.

Woman to woman, you said you had more emails from catty women, did it ever occur to you that you are wrong after all, and propagating your wrong beliefs in
the internet further hurt women?

Ms. G...your email was not 'catty.' Catty is, "Oh...where did you get your new dress -- Good Will?' Your expressed desire for me to be gang-raped is close to criminally actionable, not catty. I do remark, however, that you are backing down by attempting to trivialize the depth of your viciousness without, of course, being honest enough to admit to it. As to whether I harm women by expressing what I believe to be true about social issues...Nope. Do you harm women by sending them hate mail intended to silence them through raising the spectre of gang-rape?

I was a nun believed it or not, and I worked with a shelter for women who were raped. I got out of the convent, I figure I could do more if I get out.

Yes, the convent might frown upon sending gang-rape threats/fantasies our from its computer. Best to go private on that form of social activism.

You're a cry baby, posting your "suffering" on the net, asking for your readers to defend you. You should be ashamed of yourself if you are truly a women's rights defender, hiding behind your readers.

Poor baby! Did someone send you an unsolicited nasty note that upset you? The nerve of some people! Again, for the record, I do not ask and have not asked those who read my blog to do anything. I hope readers so not sink to the level of rape-craving Olivia G. The purpose of my exchange with her (other than research) is to explore a strategy through which the Internet might really become more civil.

Those who do evil fear the light and I've just switched on the bulb.