 By SABRA AYRES Anchorage Daily News May 07, 2007
Alaska lawmakers, led by Rep. Anna Fairclough, R-Eagle River, are pushing for a resolution denouncing the doll and urging retailers across the state to boycott its sale. Fairclough said the doll desensitizes the public to rape, a particular problem for a state with the highest per capita occurrence of sexual assault in the nation. "We're not seeking to ban the doll, because everyone has a right to express themselves," Fairclough said. "But a doll like this shows a lack of respect for victims of sexual assault." Fairclough is the former head of a rape-crisis center and advocacy group in Anchorage. The doll is being sold as part of a series of action figures from the new film "Grindhouse," in which Tarantino plays the character Rapist No. 1. The movie also features a female character who uses an M-16 gun as a prosthetic leg. The dolls are available on the various Web sites for about $15. It is unclear if any Alaska retailers are carrying the doll. The dolls' manufacturer, the National Entertainment Collectibles Association, could not be reached for a comment. The Anchorage Chamber of Commerce, an industry group representing Alaska retailers and other businesses, said they weren't aware of any complaints from members regarding the resolution's impact on their businesses. Alaska appears to be the first state to take action against the Rapist No. 1 doll. The resolution has nine co-sponsors, Democrats and Republicans. Advocacy groups for victims of sexual assault have rallied around the proposed resolution, saying the state's statistics on sexual assault and domestic violence make denouncing the doll a "no-brainer." Alaska has ranked among the top five states in the United States for rape and sexual assault for 27 out of 27 years, according to national statistics. A recent report by Amnesty International found that sexually violent crimes in rural areas of the state were a particular problem, with Alaska Native and American Indian women being 2.5 times more likely to be raped or sexually assaulted than other U.S. women. The bill passed out of committee and now waits for a full House vote before it moves on to the Senate for debate.
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