(Dear regular readers, we turned off comments on this and the previous post because of the numbers of comments just generally discussing the case not from a feminist perspective - there are mainstream news blog boards for that. So sorry we had to, but I still think it important to keep up with the news on this story)

Fritzl has claimed, in a newspaper interview with Bild, a German newspaper, that he is not a “monster” just someone who has done “monstrous acts”. Fritzl is responding to media coverage which he claims is “unfair and entirely one dimensional”. He goes on to claim that:

“I am no monster, I could have killed all of them and no one would have known. No one would ever have found out about it.”

From The Telegraph

Fritzl is now claiming that Kristen’s hospitalization is entirely his doing (not at Elizabeth’s insistence) and that he has therefore “saved” her.

Of course a man denying his crimes is not new. Nor is a plea of insanity, but his lawyer is only claiming that Fritzl is now a broken man and unfit to stand trial. So according to Mayer, the barrister, his crimes should be ignored because the press coverage, investigation and public response has been so negative and has damaged Fritzl. Amazing and absurd!

Meanwhile Natascha Kampusch has spoken out on the case and excerpts from the interview with Newsnight can be seen here. Kampusch directly links her imprisonment and rapes and the Fritzl case with the oppression of women more widely - something most mainstream outlets have been reticent about.

Meanwhile in jaw-droppingly insensitive, stupid and insulting, see this video from YouTube demanding the release of Fritzl on the basis that “Fathers know best”. And then read later comments on the piece which are both grossly sexist, sickeningly pro-rape and anti-semitic. Or just take my word for it because frankly you all have better things to do with your time. If you have a Youtube account you can flag the content as inappropriate - please do….

Posted by Louise Livesey on 8 May 2008, at 9:20 AM