Friday, August 14, 2009

Stamford Marriott (Partially) Blames Rape Victim

Oh, Stamford Marriott. Get ready for the worst press you could possibly ask for. The bad press they're getting for essentially saying a rape victim should have known better than to park in their parking garage is going to be so much more damaging than the amount the victim was suing them for. You just don't say that kind of stuff, Marriott, even if you think it.
Says the Stamford Times, "A Stamford hotel where a woman was raped at gunpoint in front of her children says the victim was careless and negligent. The papers filed last month in Superior Court by the Stamford Marriott Hotel & Spa say the victim "failed to exercise due care for her own safety and the safety of her children and proper use of her senses and facilities."
Um, was she in an abandoned parking lot at 2 am? No, she was in a parking garage that was supposed to be monitored, in broad daylight. So, I think she was being plenty sensible. Therefore, Stamford Marriott, you are a bunch greedy jerks. (For anyone who is interested, there is a Facebook page called "Boycott Marriott Hotels for not supporting sexual assault victims.")

The Marriott's insensitivity and total suckiness gets worse. The Stamford Advocate reports, "The victim's attorneys also argue the hotel has inadvertently identified her to acquaintances by asking them to testify. The hotel also subpoenaed several people involved with the family, including a Pilates instructor, friends, tennis partners and the children's baby sitter. The woman's attorneys argue the individuals subpoenaed do not know anything about the attack, that the subpoenas inadvertently identified her to those people and that it was merely an effort by the hotel's attorneys to intimidate her."

You bunch of bastards, excuse my language, have severely mismanaged the case. Seriously, you should drop it now in an attempt to save your image.

Seems to me the hotel had plenty of time to have prevented the rape. As the Advocate states, "The woman, identified in court papers only as Jane Doe, claims in the suit that Fricker had been in the hotel and garage acting suspiciously days before the attack, as well as the afternoon of the attack, and the hotel failed to notice him, apprehend him or make him leave. During the attack, security personnel did not see or stop him, the suit claims. The hotel also claims as a special defense that the acts were unforeseen and beyond their control, that the woman and her children failed to properly "mitigate their damages," and that the hotel had not been notified about Fricker."

Please spread the word about the Stamford Marriott's total loserdom, or join the Facebook page and pass it on.

17 comments:

NBW said...

ha. i basically left the same thing on the Republic American's news website.

i don't see how a rape victim can be at fault--people don't say "hey, rape me please!".

marriott=fail.

patty said...

Sing it, sister. You know I am FBing it, tweeting it, retweeting it etc. I've emailed the Stamford Marriott, Marriott International and Meyer Jabara Hotels of Danbury (Stamford Marriott's owner) to express my views.

Marriott International's legal actions are reprehensible.

Amanda said...

This story has made me so incredibly mad. I am beyond BEYOND disgusted by it. To be fair, it should be noted this hotel is not owned by Marriott International, it is owned by Meyer Jabara.

http://www.meyerjabarahotels.com/

Anonymous said...

I'm also boycotting the Courtyard by Marriott and Napa!!

Anonymous said...

Yeah - down with Napa!

Anonymous said...

Napa is just a restaurant unrelated to Marriott, just renting space from them.

I very surprised Marriott chose to handle this in such a callous manner. In my opinion...By not properly monitoring their property they inadvertently provided the perfect environment for this crime to occur. Did they make it happen? no...but if anyone was negligent it was Marriott, again.. in my opinion.

Landlady of Fat said...

Oh, I know! I was reading about this yesterday! I could NOT believe that they were all, "Oh well, shouldn't have been there." about the whole thing.

WHAT A BUNCH OF JACKASSES!

I hope she gets a ton of money from them and then a ton more b/c they are insensitive jerks.

Stamford Talk said...

I don't get it- what does Marriott think she should have done, besides NOT used their garage? SO STUPID.

Anonymous said...

While I was equally outraged and apalled by Marriot's stance as others here, I also realize that Marriot is makeing such "special"defenses in court as noted in the article in an attempt to reduce or offset some of their (likely) liability costs. That is, it is standard litigation procedure for the defendant and proving the victim's negligence is a far different manner. I suspect Marriot realizes the victim is very likely to win a big reward.

While I understand Marriot's tactics, I too will boycott their hotels since such tactics contribute to victims being reluctant to step forward.

Anonymous said...

While I was equally outraged and apalled by Marriot's stance as others here, I also realize that Marriot is makeing such "special"defenses in court as noted in the article in an attempt to reduce or offset some of their (likely) liability costs. That is, it is standard litigation procedure for the defendant and proving the victim's negligence is a far different manner. I suspect Marriot realizes the victim is very likely to win a big reward.

While I understand Marriot's tactics, I too will boycott their hotels since such tactics contribute to victims being reluctant to step forward.

You Missed Your Calling said...

Words can not express my disgust when I read this in the paper yesterday.

Dr Horder said...

Thanks Stamford Talk! I was so angry yesterday that i still don't think my blood pressure has settled to its usual low. Having been a rape crisis counselor for a few years and seeing the despair in victim's eyes when talking to police knowing all along they will be made to feel like a victim repeatedly. The Marriott's "special defenses" are a slap in the face of any woman who reported a rape. It is a slap in the face to humanity in general. Sad to say, having learned some things today that were not published about this incident just made me even MORE angry and I wasn't quite sure that was possible. I am hoping we can prove strength in numbers by boycotting the Marriott.

Stefania said...

Marriot and Owner have to answer some serious questions. Money is not enough punishment for what happened to that family and money alone won't solve it.
I'm not familiar with the law but could the people in charge of the slander against this woman / family be sued? Can the very lawyers that agree to such tactics be sued as well?
I do not think boycotting the Marriot is a solution to this appauling mess. Who are guilty of this crime: rape, slander, idiocy?
I angers me so that this will be reduced to money!!! Where's decency?

Anonymous said...

Has Bill Marriott said anything on this subject?
All women should boycott this and any Marriott, tell their partners to cancel meetings/stays and find another place to go.
Marriott the Morman company-- family values blah blah devaluing the woman who was parking her car in their garage- with a creep nearby , Thew company is so negligent they had to come up with a blame the victim.

Unknown said...

Stupid, Stupid Mariot

Napa & Co said...

Just acame across this because I like to read Stamford Talk. I, too, am very disgusted by the Marriott's lawyer for their reaction. Unfortunately, litigation gets ugly and people attack anyone and everyone to survive. They will realize this tactic was wrong. Let's punish the right people here...the rapist and the lawyers. The Courtyard and Napa are not related to this mess. In fact, I volunteer at the Sexual Assault Center on their hotline. Let's just say a prayer that this woman heals and as important, her children.

Anonymous said...

I hope she gets a ton of money from them and then a ton more b/c they are insensitive jerks.
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