Believe the Women

Someone will hate this post.  That’s okay, I’m used to it.

I am disturbed by the recent allegations of sexual harassment and assault as I think the majority of people are.  The number of incidences coming to light is staggering!

It’s hard to understand why someone would wait so long to bring up allegations of this conduct.  Some of those accused, like Judge Moore, are having to answer for incidences that are 40 years old! Because of my own experience, much less graphic and sensational, I can say that there are many reasons and no one should judge the victim.

But I’m also disturbed by the “Believe the Women” mantra that is now being pushed.

Yes, believe the women.  Listen to their story, take it seriously, support them in any way you can. Don’t place blame.  They did nothing to “deserve” it.  Investigate allegations fully.

But what about the presumption of innocence?  Isn’t that a key component of our criminal justice system?

Taking a woman’s story seriously and investigating it fully IS believing her.  But though these stories are disturbing and the accused creepy, doesn’t mean they don’t get their “day in court.”

When did believing a woman become damning a man automatically?

A few months ago, Betsy DeVos was excoriated for reversing Obama era policies. From the linked article, ‘The most controversial portion of the Obama-era guidelines had demanded colleges use the lowest standard of proof, “preponderance of the evidence,” in deciding whether a student is responsible for sexual assault, a verdict that can lead to discipline and even expulsion. On Friday, the Education Department said colleges were free to abandon that standard and raise it to a higher standard known as “clear and convincing evidence.”’

I understand this makes “he said, she said” situations even more difficult to navigate, but our laws do require evidence.

Remember Chandra Levy?  The intern who had an affair with Congressman Gary Condit?  She was murdered and her body missing for over a year.  He was presumed guilty by most of the media (and I was absolutely convinced) and lost his bid for re-election.  Turns out it was a serial killer.

The travesty is that a young woman lost her life, not that Condit lost his re-election.  He shouldn’t have been involved in the affair.  But the point is, lives are irreversibly impacted without our “presumption of innocence.”

Believe the women, support the women, don’t blame the women, investigate fully and presume innocence until proven guilty.  If we are equal sexes, it’s the right thing to do.

And, if proven guilty, prosecute to the fullest extent of the law.