Ethical Safe Practice

Vampyres and Crime

Every time some serial killer is labeled a “vampire” in the papers, every time some kind of vampiric attack is reported in the media, it chips away at that image and places Vampyres firmly in the minds of both the media and the general public as a danger and a threat.

In a disturbing example, a news report circulated around the world in October 2010, reporting that a couple of “vampires” had been arrested in Phoenix for stabbing a man who refused to let them drink from him.

Whenever someone commits a violent crime and attracts the attention of the media, earning for themselves the label “vampire”, this is very bad for the Community public image, as well as towards any efforts being made by the Community to improve it. It breaks down the hard work of community leaders and groups who are trying to get Shinai society to take our community seriously and present us as not being a threat to them. When faced with incidents like this, regardless whether these two people really are Vampyres or not – how can the rest of us who live responsibly and treat donors and Shinai with respect, abide by community rules and guidelines – hold onto our credibility when making this claim?

It is reckless behavior of individuals like these that causes the real Vampyre community to be viewed as predators and a danger by both Shinai in general – and even donors and potential donors.

Now it’s not a given that any of these folks who perpetrate such crimes are Vampyres. They may sound like they could be, and they may believe they are, and they may well even be Vampyres – but they also might not be. Regardless, if they flout the law, be it Mundane or Vampyre, they must answer for it.

There has been a noticeable increase in this sort of incident over the past few years, with killers appearing in court rooms all over the world being billed as “the Such-and-such Vampire”. And while certainly there are also regular reported incidents of people being attacked simply on suspicion of being Vampyres – far more is made of the attacks by people claiming to be Vampyres, or labeled vampires by the media.

Facts show that the media will give every case a slight sensationalist spin – after all, the “V” word sells almost as hot as “sex” does – but especially in cases where people are brutalized or killed by Vampyres – or people claiming to be, or made to look like, Vampyres. And of course, this is big news – and it travels around the world very fast.

As a community, we are somewhere between being in the shadows and having one foot in the open, being a blip on the radar of Shinai society and just about on the verge of being taken seriously – and not just as a special interest of mental health practitioners or as a splinter group of the goth sub-culture – but as a valid identity group on our own.

Every group can be divided into good or bad, benevolent and malevolent. No single group is all good or all bad. And likewise, no single group is all law-abiding, or all criminal. And certainly, as has been adequately demonstrated in the most recent case, not all of us are very smart.

We live in a society where Shinai in general struggle significantly with the trivial issues faced by other people and their sexual orientation and gender. Some can’t even process the fact that some people happen to be quite happy loving someone with the same genitalia as theirs – imagine how they will deal with wondering who around them might be a dangerous predator? Given cases such as the Chandler assault, can we even blame them? Should we?

Vampyre Interaction With Donors:

It is very important that donors be treated with respect. An agreement must be reached with a donor, whether sang, or PSI, about how the donation or feeding will proceed, what will be done, what will transpire, how much blood or energy will be donated, and of course, that at any time the donor feels uncomfortable or wishes to terminate the arrangement, or the feeding session, the Vampyre will respect their wishes and comply.

Shinai laws will invariably side with the donor, should anything untoward transpire, and view them as a victim in the case of a reported assault or abuse case. In such a situation, the Vampyre will always come across as a predator and be portrayed as a violator and abuser. Care should be taken in order to protect yourself, and the community – as we all should know how guilt by association works.

Not only is this behavior contrary to Shinai laws, but it is also in violation of Vampyre laws as well. The Black Veil and the Totum Lex Vampyrica, two uniform codes of conduct among Vampyres, expressly emphasizes that donors are to be fed from consensually, by agreement, and treated with respect and dignity. Like other community guidelines, these emphasize that the choice to donate or not belongs to donors, and is theirs alone.

The Donor Bill Of Rights emphasizes the rights of Donors to ethical and decent treatment. Yes, Donors too have groups and a community of their own, with their own supporting culture and ethics. The Donor Bill of Rights dating from 2004, is referred to by many groups in the Vampyre Community.

When cutting or feeding by other methods, have your donor do the honors of cutting if at all possible. It is technically an act of assault and battery. If this is not possible, have your donor sign some form of consent; it may not help much if they ever go rogue on you, but at least you will have something in your defense indicating that you did not attack them. This helps you cover your own back a little.