Jack the Ripper
I decided to write about Jack the Ripper because the story shows a problem that still happens today: we remember the criminal, but we forget the people who were hurt. Everyone knows “Jack the Ripper,” but many people can’t name even one of the women he killed. I want to shift the focus so the victims are not forgotten, and I want to look at what this case can teach us about how we handle crime now.
Jack the Ripper murdered five women in London in 1888. These women—Mary Ann Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes, and Mary Jane Kelly—lived in poverty and didn’t have much protection from society. The newspapers at the time made the murders into a big dramatic story, almost treating the killer like a dark celebrity. Meanwhile, the women were judged, ignored, or described in very negative ways. This shows how easily people blame or overlook victims, especially when they come from difficult backgrounds.
I’m connecting this case to ideas like restorative justice because this approach tries to put victims and communities first. It focuses on repairing harm instead of just focusing on the criminal. If something like restorative justice existed back then, maybe people would have asked: Why were these women so vulnerable? What support did they need? How could the community have protected them?
Even though the case is old, it relates to today. When a major crime happens now, the news still often pays more attention to the offender than to the people who suffered. By writing about Jack the Ripper from a victim-centered angle, I want to remind readers that justice is not just about catching the criminal—it’s about remembering who was hurt and understanding what could prevent similar harm in the future.
This is interesting post and you make an important point about how the names and stories of murderers are often remembered even though their victims have been long forgotten. I didn't actually know the names of any of Jack the Ripper's female victims until you posted them. You relate it well to victim support and the concept of restorative justice.
ReplyDeleteBe sure to include at least two references for each of the blog entries you post.
Reading your post reminded me of the movement in the US to remember the names of black men and women who have been killed by police, such as Breonna Taylor. You can read about that movement here: https://www.aapf.org/sayhername .