What do you think?

Okay, I can't help myself. This one is just crying out to be talked about. A sports reporter said the other day that Vick (the Falcon's quarterback arrested on dog-fighting charges) would be better off having raped a woman where he would have only likely suffered a four-game suspension. An outcry from a number of sources forced this reporter to apologize and he will no longer be reporting in this forum. But the point that he raised is interesting in a different context. Why is it that we, as a population, leap so quickly to chastise a man who has allegedly and brutally killed a number of dogs, but get very suspicious of women who allege that a sports figure in a similar position raped her? Do we value the life of pets over the safety and protection of women? Do we believe that most women lie about being raped in order to get fame/money, but dead dogs never lie (no pun intended)? While I whole-heartedly agree that Vick's conduct, if proven true, is heinous and should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, I can't help but feel that, had he been accused of raping a woman, the public would have reacted the way it did, or he would have been suspended pending investigation. The point the reporter raised is a good one, if not for the reasons he raised it. It's worth discussing. So....discuss!