Regardless of how unfair and unjust it is to the person who survived, the person accused has an equal right to a fair and just trial. Accusation requires proof, and that proof must be scrutinized and evaluated. The truth is, I do not remember key details of this event, such as the date or what I was wearing, or even exactly what my attacker looked like. I remember his voice, the way he smelled of alcohol, the grip of his hand, but I do not remember his name or even his username. Memory is not perfect, and therefore it cannot be solely used as evidence.
I cannot tell you if a person’s account of his or her assault is valid or not. I cannot tell you to believe all survivors. But I can tell you that there is a difference between sharing your story and naming a person in an accusation. The longer a person waits to do so, the more scrutiny and skepticism is warranted.
Their story can, however, exist as a powerful tool of empathy, experience, and survival without exploiting the natural outrage people feel when discovering a villain they can target. The power of survival is using your voice to help other people survive and hopefully prevent the sense of helplessness you once felt.
But I do not believe we have immunity to accuse without consequence, and as a survivor I advocate due process and the concept of “innocent until proven guilty” more now than ever. Don’t blame a person for not reporting sooner, but don’t damn the accused to compensate for it.
My Rape Doesn’t Justify Punishing People Without Due Process
I cannot tell you if a person’s account of his or her assault is valid or not. I cannot tell you to believe all survivors. But I can tell you that there is a difference between sharing your story and naming a person in an accusation. The longer a person waits to do so, the more scrutiny and skepticism is warranted.
Their story can, however, exist as a powerful tool of empathy, experience, and survival without exploiting the natural outrage people feel when discovering a villain they can target. The power of survival is using your voice to help other people survive and hopefully prevent the sense of helplessness you once felt.
But I do not believe we have immunity to accuse without consequence, and as a survivor I advocate due process and the concept of “innocent until proven guilty” more now than ever. Don’t blame a person for not reporting sooner, but don’t damn the accused to compensate for it.
My Rape Doesn’t Justify Punishing People Without Due Process