Quote:
Originally Posted by PepsiFree
Despite being a little dramatic and catty, I was with you until that last line.
The system IS stacked against sexual assault victims. That's a pretty legitimate grievance.
|
Is it stacked any more against sexual assault victims than the victims of other crimes? Because one of the myths being peddled in the coverage of this story is that these women were challenged on their credibility and honesty because they're testifying in a sexual assault case (and by extension, because they're women and the system is patriarchal). But they would be challenged on their credibility and honesty in a trial for any crime. As would any man. That's the way our justice system works - witnesses are challenged. And yet I'm not sure I've seen a single article or column mention that. I suspect the average Canadian thinks alleged victims in sexual assault cases are treated differently by the law than alleged victims of other crimes. That's a failure of our media to do their jobs.
There's something dismaying about the way the media reaction to a trial that collapsed due to the omission of facts has itself demonstrated an egregious omission of facts. Just shows that the cultural right doesn't have a monopoly on 'truthiness.'