An Apology

6

Earlier today, we ran a story that was in line with our previous reporting on sexual harassers in comics. However, we messed up. We appreciate our community for holding us accountable. In running this story, we disrespected the victim’s autonomy and contributed to the problem, rather than mitigating it.

The Beat deeply regrets causing more pain to any victim of abuse or harassment. We acknowledge that our approach to this piece was deeply flawed, especially as we gave space to the alleged abuser to further their narrative without taking that narrative to task. We ultimately centered their side of the story and upheld a system that protects abusers. We did not not employ an ethic of care in our reporting, when that should have been our utmost measure of responsibility.

We remain committed to believing victims and to outing harassment when it is necessary and appropriate. We will continue to report on industry issues and will strive to be more mindful of the needs of the victims.

– The Editors

6 COMMENTS

  1. It is still an important story that needs to be told. I hope you are restructuring your article and not simply giving up and burying this situation.

  2. @Martin, Important story? What story? There’s no story here, and I’d lay good money that there never will be again. It’s just like it never happened. Down the memory hole it goes.

  3. aw man, what happened? i can’t say i read all story’s religiously so perhaps i missed the offense.

    appreciate the honesty and apology,

  4. So a stock apology for outing a victim of abuse against their wishes and allowing the abuser to spin their lies is “burying the situation”. Gotcha, Marty.

    I’m with Fairuza – The Beat has enabled a lot of terrible people, not just this one, and we need more than one completely form-based apology. And given some of the people The Beat keeps pushing as so important in the industry, they should expect more in the future.

  5. @Plumcha, The Beat didn’t “out” a victim. Tres Dean wrote a VERY public essay on Huff Post! And now, with the removal of the Beat story, if you google the name “HOPE NICHOLSON”, you get one (1) hit in which she’s exposed as a sexual abuser (along with the leftover echo of the now-removed Beat story). Face it, Nicholson’s “Spectacular Sisterhood of Superwomen” isn’t gonna talk about it any more. The story is more than buried. It’s gone… like it never existed. BTW, you should go read the comments on the piece at Huff Post in which he’s actually attacked for telling his story.

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