I think there were a variety of red flags that should have stopped or at least slowed the publication of this story. For me, the refusal to give Drew’s last name would have been the last straw for using Jackie’s account. As a journalist, I understand that it may not be appropriate to use his full name in a story and, as a woman, I understand that Jackie was probably terrified of him. But it was the writer’s most basic duty to at least contact the attacker to give him the opportunity to share his account of that night. At minimum, the journalist needed to confirm that such a person exists. A simple Facebook search or a request to the university for access to the student directory could have saved Erdely’s credibility and shed light on the holes in Jackie’s story. This whole situation was difficult for me, because there are many points in the story that should be talked about and are a cause for concern about UVA and rape culture. But due to Erdely’s negligence in reporting and clear bias towards Jackie and other victims, readers can’t be sure if any of the article is trustworthy.
