The recent story about the two kidnapped young boys rescued from the clutches of a pedophile caught the attention of the entire nation. Ben Ownby and Shawn Hornbeck, both of Missouri, were found in an apartment belonging to Michael Devlin, a 41 year old pizza store manager. It was the search for thirteen year old Ben who was kidnapped a few days ago that led the police to Devlin’s apartment. There to their astonishment, they also found Shawn now 15, who had been missing since he was 11. The bitter sweet story of Shawn is one that evokes a sigh of relief as well as nightmarish emotions for all parents. To have found the boy alive after so long is a miracle. That he must have been abused is also a certainty. There is no doubt that it will be a long, hard struggle for both Shawn and his parents to make the necessary adjustments to revert to a "normal" life after what were surely four very troubling years.
There is evidence that during the four years of captivity, Shawn did not attend school but was otherwise free to move about, make friends and even have access to the internet. Yet he did not escape or alert anyone about his situation. Many people are asking why. Often abducted children (and adults) are known to show similar behavior. Psychologists believe that Shawn may have been a victim of what is commonly known as the Stockholm Syndrome.
Others have pointed accusing fingers at Shawn and called him inconsiderate for putting his parents through the torment of not knowing his whereabouts. We will never know why Shawn chose to keep quiet and stay with his captor for four long years, unless and until he himself tells us. But that has not kept Bill O’Reilly, the Fox News Channel blowhard and paragon of virtues from pompously weighing in with his own interpretation. According to O’Reilly, Shawn did not escape because he didn’t want to and because he was "maladjusted at home" and was having much more fun in the company of his abusive captor.
From the January 15 edition of Fox News’ The O’Reilly Factor:
O’REILLY: "Impact" segment tonight, the disturbing case of the two kidnapped boys in Missouri. As you know, police found 15-year-old Shawn Hornbeck in an apartment of 41-year-old Michael Devlin last week, along with 13-year-old Ben Ownby. Both boys allegedly had been kidnapped by Devlin, who ran a pizza place in the town of Kirkwood. Shawn had been missing for four years.
And the question is, why didn’t he escape when he could have? There are all kinds of theories about that. Joining us now from Washington, Greta Van Susteren, who has been out to Missouri reporting on the case.
All right, you know, the Stockholm syndrome thing, I don’t buy it. I’ve never bought it. I didn’t think it happened in the Patty Hearst case. I don’t think it happened here.
[…] O’REILLY: I’m not buying this. If you’re 11 years old or 12 years old, 13, and you have a strong bond with your family, OK, even if the guy threatens you, this and that, you’re riding your bike around, you got friends. The kid didn’t go to school. There’s all kinds of stuff. If you can get away, you get away. All right? If you’re 11.
[…] O’REILLY: This is what I believe happened in the Hearst case and in this case. The situation that Hearst found herself in was exciting. She had a boring life. She was a child of privilege. All of a sudden, she’s in with a bunch of charismatic thugs, and she enjoyed it. The situation here for this kid looks to me to be a lot more fun than what he had under his old parents. He didn’t have to go to school. He could run around and do whatever he wanted.
From the January 16 edition of Fox News’ The O’Reilly Factor:
O’REILLY: The kidnapping of those two boys should be front-page news in your house if you have kids. I actually hope I’m wrong about Shawn Hornbeck. I hope he did not make a conscious decision to accept his captivity because Devlin made things easy for him. No school, play all day long.
So, according to O’Reilly, Shawn was living out a Tom Sawyer fantasy. Shut up O’Reilly, let Shawn tell us if he wishes to.
Accidental Blogger 
9 responses to “Right Wing Psychoanalysis – Blame the Victim First”
I think this is an attribute of the religious conservative mindset. An intellectual arrogance that says, “if I cannot envision the existence of something, it simply cannot exist.” For example, if my highly developed brain cannot grasp the scenario of humans having evolved out of viscous slime, it simply is not possible, science be damned. To a conservative, his infallibility in all matters precludes the possibility of his being ever wrong on anything.
LikeLike
Yet, they smugly ask us to take on “faith” an interpretation of life and the universe that they themselves have unquestioningly chosen to believe, failing which we are all “moral lepers.”
About Shawn, I was quite disturbed and annoyed that his parents went on Oprah yesterday along with the just rescued young man. I didn’t watch the show but learnt from other news sources that both the parents and Shawn were questioned about the circumstances of his abduction and confinement. That was more than tasteless – it was a thoughtless, publicity seeking decision. Shouldn’t the family adjust, reconnenct and come to terms with this unfortunate event quietly before they go before the whole world? And what about Shawn? He surely needs some quiet reflective time with family, counselors and himself in order to come to terms with the change in the circumstances. Yet his parents pushed him before gawking strangers to discuss such a personal and traumatic experience? The police and the psychologists haven’t learnt everything about this case. For example, what happened to the other boy, Ben Ownby during his short confinement? Was he abused by Devlin? And did Shawn participate? In the news clip of the Oprah appearance, Shawn made a remark – that he was sorry for what Ben had to endure. What did he mean by that? There are so many things to sort out here. Yet the parents were eager to talk to Oprah!
Makes you wonder if the kidnapper is the only abuser here!
LikeLike
I wonder if big money was involved in the parent’s decision to start the talk show rounds. I suspect that it would have tipped the scales regarding the decision between privacy (and possibly the best interests of the kid)and going on Oprah.
LikeLike
Another thought which struck me from what O’Reilly says“All of a sudden, she’s in with a bunch of charismatic thugs, and she enjoyed it.” – Note his use of the word charismatic.
There you have the reason why the anti-IB faction in USC are deciding to use the names of notorious killers as their online personas- they are secretly fascinated by them (and not in a healthy manner), much as their chief guru O’Reilly seems to be.
LikeLike
Hornbeck’s parents surely know (or someone should tell them) about Steven Stayner – a case in the 1970s very similar to Shawn’s.
The difficulty that Stayner faced upon return to his natural parents should be a cautionary tale to not push Shawn into the public eye so soon. The boy needs to do a lot of healing. A sinister post script to Steve Stayner’s (who died at the young age of 24) already tragic story was that his older brother Cary became a serial killer.
And yes, it IS rather peculiar that the IB opponents in your school district have chosen to appear here under the assumed persona of all these “charismatic” killers!
LikeLike
I didn’t find any information on difficulties faced by Stayner after his return to his natural parents- was the reference somewhere else, other than Wikipedia, Ruchira?
LikeLike
See here.
LikeLike
Firstly, I cannot imagine anyone placing the burden of judgment on a child for not escaping an abductor. There are so many factors for NOT attempting escape: shame on facing family again; embarrassment with the public and acquaintances; emasculation for falling prey; sheer fear of the abductor; waiting for the right time to attempt escape; lack of food or sleep or mental rest that would affect stamina and strength to fight; physical and verbal, psychological and emotional abuse to weaken the will; the feeling of being tainted and worthless; the promise of endless questions to discuss what should be unimaginable if returned home; the promise of never living it down and being talked about; dread of media attention; fear of being coddled and touched by anyone (even family) again; fear of retribution by abductor on your loved ones, his knowing where you live; the possibility that he would not be caught, and you would forever live in fear; brainwashing that your family isn’t looking for you and gave up, or no longer cares; and its just being easier to stay put with no new ideas coming day after day…I could go on indefinitely.
However, lazing about with pleasure in his “new home” is not one of the factors that I consider in this or any abductee case. It’s more hitting a fine balance of having some semblance of a borderline sub-life and just surviving day to day…and it would be easy to just subsist on that piecemeal existence as an alternative to being killed. That’s ludicrous that he relished any part of his “freedom” from rules.
I have never been in the shoes of either this child or his family. People should never judge either. I would imagine that families are overjoyed and told that the country rejoices with them and can help other children with the publicity. And they are exploited and the shunned when they are most vulnerable themselves. They are also victims.
Hopefully, the poor children can resume life and fit back in somehow. I’m just proud of this boy for playing it safe and staying alive. Imagine knowing that you could be killed at any time and no one would notice your disappearance. I don’t think that I, even as an adult, would rock the boat if I could feel even the least bit alive. And everyone can see that the child was in veiled contact at the end in asking his family through their website set up for him if the family was still looking for him.
Shawn is a hero just for holding himself together. Devlin, on the other hand, should get just two minutes in a small room with the boy’s mother. I know what I would do.
LikeLike
MG:
I agree with you that Shawn’s parents too are victims. They worked very hard to find Shawn and other lost/ kidnapped children through the Shawn Hornbeck Foundation. I was just really upset that they went on Oprah and took Shawn with them. The media can be very intrusive and often heartless. Shawn doesn’t need that. Let things be sorted out, cool down and the boy get a handle on what he went through and what he must face now, before pushing him before strangers.
As for Devlin getting two minutes with the mother, I couldn’t agree more. Despite my opposition to capital punishment and torture, my visceral reaction to child molesters is just that – a few minutes in a room with mothers equipped with blunt instruments. Most of my women friends tend to agree.
LikeLike