Nicole Chardenet
Nov 7 · 2 min read

Since Jason Stauffer clearly explained how testimony is evidence, but not the same as physical evidence and why rape claims still need to be investigated (you sounded like you were suggesting the accusations were all that was needed), I’ll skip that critique.

It’s not true that alleged perpetrators ‘come out of the ordeal unscathed.’ They lose their jobs and often lose their reputation (just ask Harvey Weinstein or Bill Cosby). Brett Kavanaugh got to keep his job, but he’ll be controversial until the day he dies and I doubt he can walk through the streets without being verbally assaulted by others. Your life is changed forever when you are publicly accused of sexual assault. Maybe not as much as your alleged victims, but most men don’t get off as scot-free as advertised. It’s not fair that many of them are getting away with it, and there are a lot of problems and prejudices in the justice system that need to be addressed, but one ugly little fact that feminists and rape activists aren’t going to like is that victims need to report this *immediately*…not after a shower, not after processing it for a week or two, or months, or years, and especially not decades after the fact. You can talk about it publicly, but don’t expect a conviction with no evidence apart from your say-so from 1974.

Fact is, and this is the dirty little secret of feminism, false accusations DO happen, and feminists try to sweep it (like the Duke University fiasco) under the carpet. Rape victims will never be taken as seriously as they should be until feminists stop pretending that false allegations (genuine ones, not where evidence is lacking, or it was so long ago, or whatever) ‘almost never’ happen. False allegations DO screw up and often ruin men’s lives (I’ve seen it.) If it’s wrong to not take women seriously when they make rape claims, it’s equally wrong not to wholeheartedly condemn the ones *proven* to be lying. Until feminists can do that, there will always be an ideological shadow of doubt hanging over rape claims, and they’re not serious about wanting victims to be taken seriously.

    Nicole Chardenet

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    Blogger, author, egalitarian, into brains & Buddhist psychology, living in the Murky Middle of political/social thought. Too strong & empowered to be a feminist