Language Matters: Oscar Pistorius Coverage Edition

[Content Note: Domestic violence guns.]Yesterday, within the thread about Oscar Pistorius getting allegedly killed Reeva Steenkamp, Shaker ellen chose to make this excellent observation about coverage from the crime, that we am discussing around the primary page together with her permission:I am very troubled by what is happening using the word "domestic" during these reviews. Law enforcement stated that there was "accusations of the domestic character." No. "Domesticity" means eating foods, doing dishes, getting the garbage baking snacks, hanging curtains, taking a stroll. Assault, aggression, terror, and murder aren't a part of what "domestic" means. Stating that there was previous accusations "of the domestic character" is asking us to grow our meaning of "domestic" to incorporate repeated violent assault.In order to pretty up reality, law enforcement have edited the term "violence" from the phrase "domestic violence," expecting us to know that whenever they are saying "domestic," they mean "domestic violence." They are asking us to agree that being threatened and attacked are simply another component of being domestic. When police and media speak by doing this, they assist the assault to create wide ripples of linguistic and cognitive violence.Being precise by what really happened within this situation is going to be progressively important, as Pistorius continues to be formally billed with killing Reeva Steenkamp, and prosecutors accept is as true was premeditated murder. Steenkamp was apparently found behind your bathroom door and police have been "known as towards the house two hrs prior to the shooting after neighbors reported a noisy argument."Relatedly, I'd this exchange on Twitter yesterday mid-day:@mcmorag Indeed. Within my publish, I purposely named her &lifier didn't define her as his g/f, but because "Reeva Steenkamp, who had been dating Pistorius."&mdash Melissa McEwan (@Shakestweetz) Feb 14, 2013Oscar Pistorius wiped out his girlfriend inside a domestic dispute.Oscar Pistorius killed Reeva Steenkamp, who had been dating Pistorius, within an act of domestic violence.Same information. One does not aim to mitigate the heinous character from the crime, nor vanishes the victim, nor goodies Steenkamp like Pistorius' property, nor regards, in ellen's words, "being threatened and attacked [as] yet another component of being domestic."