Virgin Australia Crew Incident in Fiji

[Pushka]

A little harsh, in general, and more particularly, insensitive to the individual concerned, who’s life has been changed forever (if the reports are accurate)

As a general observation i would say that it does tend to make the news reports when Australians abroad are robbed...

I was robbed by knife in Vietnam and I didn't make the news! I wasn't injured but only because of sheer luck. Was my life changed? Yes. It is etched in my memory in graphic detail and have had flashback dreams.

However I am not equating this to the rape and which I agree is a major life horrific event. I suspect the assaulted man was only mentioned in the media because of its 'relationship' with the first sexual assault and that assault would not be reported.

 

[Quickstatus]

general member of the traveling public was robbed/assaulted in a foreign country, it wouldn’t rate a column in the local paper.

If by local you mean local Fiji media, then no. Crime is reported.

If by local you mean local Australian, then no, we hear about generic Aus tourists getting in trouble all the time.

What difference does a flight attendant uniform make?. It's not the uniform, they were not wearing it when they were associated. But the association with an airline brand gives the story legs, because tourism is very important to FJ. It's the same everywhere - it's not only the underlying crime, but an additional dimension to the story exists which is also public interest.

 

[nancypants]

I would suggest airline crew being attacked generates more interest because there is an assumption that they are a more savvy traveller than most, perhaps. In the olden days (my crew days!) the crew training/briefings and security input was top notch. Uncertain what it would be like for new hires these days. But “oh my god if this can happen to an airline crew it can happen to anyone” kind of thing

 

[N860CR]

A little harsh, in general, and more particularly, insensitive to the individual concerned, who’s life has been changed forever (if the reports are accurate)

As a general observation i would say that it does tend to make the news reports when Australians abroad are robbed or (sexually) assaulted.

It’s simply an observation. I would pretty safety say that the media does not report on every assault on an Australian overseas, and definitely not at this level.

I think that is a massive over generalisation

Certainly entitled to that opinion, however I would disagree and say that the media certainly does excessively focus on issues involving air crew or airlines.

Post automatically merged: Sunday at 12:18 PM

If by local you mean local Fiji media, then no. Crime is reported.

If by local you mean local Australian, then no, we hear about generic Aus tourists getting in trouble all the time.

What difference does a flight attendant uniform make?. It's not the uniform, they were not wearing it when they were associated. But the association with an airline brand gives the story legs, because tourism is very important to FJ. It's the same everywhere - it's not only the underlying crime, but an additional dimension to the story exists which is also public interest.

Yes. Australian media. And I don’t recall the last time we saw this level of reporting over an Australian being assaulted abroad.

 

[Viridis]

the media does not report on every assault on an Australian overseas

Of course not. But there’s lots of stuff the media doesn’t report on because they can’t report on everything.

As @Quickstatus notes there are other things that news editors consider when deciding what to publish, including their audience

If you only watched 7, 9 or 10 you’d probably be completely unaware that there was fighting in the gulf of Aden

I suspect that given this story broke on 7 then I’d suggest that the ‘nature of the crime’ and the location may have had more to do with the decision to publish the story than who the poor woman’s employer is. I’m sure she’d prefer privacy too

 

[Quickstatus]

I don’t recall the last time we saw this level of reporting over an Australian being assaulted abroad.

IMO the current reporting has been quite muted and certainly not over the top. And this is coming from someone who is often highly critical of the media and especially journalists.

Reports of Australians assaulted Os is reported similarly. Just a internet search will give you a few to choose from

 

[Saab34]

Newscorp releasing more details.

So crew member 1 was scammed into a fake taxi and raped.

Crew member 2 (male) was walking to find a taxi and was bashed.

 

[DC3]

Just for perspective. As a regular to Fiji (ie we have a feel for the place) we stayed one night at the Mercure (same area) at the end of June. I went for a walk at around 5pm (day light) and felt quite uncomfortable in that area to the point I cut my walk short and returned to the hotel.

Being aware of your surroundings always helps. When something doesn’t look or feel right, heading back to the hotel is always a good idea.

 

[N860CR]

IMO the current reporting has been quite muted and certainly not over the top. And this is coming from someone who is often highly critical of the media and especially journalists.

Reports of Australians assaulted Os is reported similarly. Just a internet search will give you a few to choose from

I can’t say I regularly see reports as the second or third televised article on the national broadcaster for days on end, but maybe I’m watching a different ABC

 

[Scarlett]

A point I think not yet made in this thread is that another ‘incident’ involving Fiji, after the ‘drink poisoning/related sickness, but not from methanol’ is more likely to attract media attention than not.

 

[N860CR]

A point I think not yet made in this thread is that another ‘incident’ involving Fiji, after the ‘drink poisoning/related sickness, but not from methanol’ is more likely to attract media attention than not.

Good point. But I suspect that came about because of the Laos incident.

 

[straitman]

What sort of stuff did you see?

Nothing specific.

Being aware of your surroundings always helps. When something doesn’t look or feel right, heading back to the hotel is always a good idea.

I agree and that's what really what I am saying. It just didn't feel right and I have to say that's unusual and rare for me due to my familiarity to the Fiji environment generally.

 

[Quickstatus]

maybe I’m watching a different ABC

What ABC?

 

[VPS]

Posing as a taxi driver

Man faces Fijian court over alleged rape of Virgin Airlines crew member

A 24-year-old man faces court in Fiji over the alleged rape and sexual assault of a 21-year-old Melbourne woman in the south Pacific nation.

www.abc.net.au

 

[ols]

A point I think not yet made in this thread is that another ‘incident’ involving Fiji, after the ‘drink poisoning/related sickness, but not from methanol’ is more likely to attract media attention than not.

Fiji is the new Bali