Professor of journalism at Columbia University and author of “Sand Queen” and “Virgin or Vamp: How the Press Covers Sex Crimes.”
Helen Benedict is an American novelist and journalist, best known for her writings on social injustice and the Iraq War.
Sexual Assault in the Military Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is promising new legislation that would take the prosecution of military sexual assaults out of the chain of command. Her efforts are gaining momentum in light of a new Pentagon report on military sexual assault. The Pentagon found that there were nearly 6,000 sexual assaults this year, or 16 a day. It also found that a majority of victims experienced some form of retaliation. So what happens next?
What We Talk About When We Talk About Rape NBC is backing off plans to develop a new comedy starring Bill Cosby because of the rape allegations against the comedian. And Netflix says it will postpone a Cosby comedy special. As more women come forward with accusations, the media is getting mixed reviews for its handling of the matter. We talk about how far the media has come and how far it still has to go when it comes to covering stories like this.
Farewell LA freeways, Peter Shire is back Angelenos don't want more freeways but we seem not to want mass transit either. Metro has killed the 710 freeway extension, and bus and train ridership is down across the region. What's the future of getting around in LA? And, Peter Shire is having a comeback. What attracts a new generation to his playful ceramics and furniture?
In 'Speechless,' Scott Silveri combines comedy, family & disability Scott Silveri has written and produced sitcoms for more than 20 years. In all that time, he never encountered a TV family that looked anything like the one he grew up in -- with a mom, a dad...and a brother with cerebral palsy. He changed that with his show Speechless on ABC. Silveri tells us about looking to his own past for stories, and why he was determined to make a family comedy and not just a "disability show."