The father of a girl who the Isla Vista gunman accused of triggering his hatred of women has spoken out about the claims, explaining that they are 'ridiculous'. Monette Moio was branded by the killer - who murdered six people and injured more in a horrific attack in Santa Barbara on Saturday - 'an evil bitch', claiming in the 141-paged document, in which detailed the reasoning behind his killing spree, that she 'teased and ridiculed' him at school.
Monette's father, however, has rubbished the suggestion that the gunman was triggered by his daughter. He told* The Mirror*: 'She was 10 years old for god's sake - she can barely remember the guy. He's a sociopath. She hasn't seen him since school.'
He added: 'She is devastated. She’s being implicated in this terrible tragedy for something she hasn’t done and can’t even remember.'
Eliott Rodger, the 22-year-old who killed people seemingly at random as a form of 'retribution' for the way women had refused to have sex with him (as if it was his god-given right to have sex?) said in his manifesto: 'The way I was treated by girls at this time, especially by that evil bitch, sparked an intense fear of girls.'
He added: 'The funny part of this is that I had a secret crush on Monette. She was the first girl I ever had a crush on, and I never admitted it to anyone.'
The misogyny in Rodger's writing all fits in with his part in Men's Rights Activist and Pick Up Artist Hate website forums, where men collude to discuss how the recognition of women's rights have hurt them and how they're destined to be 'incel' (involuntarily celibate) because being a pick-up artist just won't work. (Of course being a pick up artist and following the rules of The Game doesn't work, there's no need to join a forum about it...)
Perhaps the only positive of the atrocity - which saw four men and two women killed - is that it's highlighted that although generalised anti-woman culture might have its roots online, it can also rear its head in the real world. And how that affects both men and women.
Plus, the hashtag #YesAllWomen has proven that, despite people rushing to social forums to say that no, all men aren't like the gunman, but yes, all women live in a certain amount of fear. The sharing of different women's stories shows just how widespread and commonplace this fear is, and shining a light on it can only be a good thing. The news has also given more credence to the anti-gun movement in America, with Richard Martinez, the father of Chris Martinez, who was killed by Rodger's gun, saying: 'Why did Chris die? Chris died because of craven, irresponsible politicians and the NRA [National Rifle Association].'
In an emotional speech at a vigil, he said: 'They talk about gun rights. What about Chris's right to live? When will this insanity stop?'
Follow Sophie on Twitter @sophwilkinson
Picture: Rex
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.