An incredibly interesting and important article about false rape allegations, and how, when and who makes them. For the record, Professor Ford's claims have NONE of these hallmarks. Please read this, it is worth your time:
There are two reason this is important information. One is so we can be on alert for possible false allegations, because they can be destructive to those they are leveled against (obviously). But the other is that we need to come to grips with the fact that they are exceedingly rare and follow a distinct pattern, and the idea that every woman who steps forward is possibly lying is just not justified by the facts when looking at the patterns of false allegations.
There are two reason this is important information. One is so we can be on alert for possible false allegations, because they can be destructive to those they are leveled against (obviously). But the other is that we need to come to grips with the fact that they are exceedingly rare and follow a distinct pattern, and the idea that every woman who steps forward is possibly lying is just not justified by the facts when looking at the patterns of false allegations.
That is why I said Ms. Ford's accusations are probably true.
Meanwhile, Moo Jae-in and Kim Jong-un are having a third meeting in recent months. The likely result of these meetings is expected to be the official end of the Korean War (currently its status is "cease fire", which does not equal "ended").
Ah, I only saw the corrected version and was confused.
Surely moderator tools allow you to view edits
I can. There's a button that lets me see previous versions of a post. But it's very rare for pre-edited comments to be relevant, and it's easy to overlook the "edited" note.
It's much like how you skim over the date and time stamp of most comments: you only check when it was edited if you have a specific reason to do so (like if somebody tried to hide evidence of rulebreaking behavior by editing a post).
An incredibly interesting and important article about false rape allegations, and how, when and who makes them. For the record, Professor Ford's claims have NONE of these hallmarks. Please read this, it is worth your time:
Interesting. An actual study of false rape accusations that delves into the reasons in detail. Here are some key findings from the article:
1. Between 2% and 10% of rape accusations are estimated to be false. 2. Since 1989, only 52 men have been exonerated by a false rape charge. 3. A study the article describes as "the most detailed study ever conducted of sexual assault reports to police" found that of 216 rape accusations deemed to be false, only in 39 did the accuser name the accused, only 6 cases resulted in arrest, and only 2 cases resulted in charges (later dropped). Thus, the vast majority of false rape accusations result in no criminal charges (though they can certainly cause damage in other areas). 4. One of the most common reasons for a false rape accusation is "a teenage girl who tells her parents she was raped to avoid getting in trouble." In other words, a girl might not wish to admit that the sex was consensual (to the extent that a girl of a certain age can consent). Almost half of all false rape accusations are brought to the police's attention not by the alleged victim, but by another party, like a parent. 5. A less common reason for a false rape accusation is to obtain medical treatment, which seldom involves charges being brought. 6. Of the false accusers who actually press charges, nearly all of them have a criminal record or a history of telling outlandish lies or making frivolous lawsuits. The UVA accuser had a history to this effect. 7. Many false accusers also have a form of severe psychosis, and tell stories that are similarly implausible. 8. An LAPD study found that 78% of false accusations involve aggravated assault and involve weapons and the threat of physical force. False accusations generally paint portraits of violent scenarios. The UVA accuser's allegations also fit this mold.
It seems that (1) the large majority of false rape accusations never result in criminal charges, and of the few false rape accusations that do result in charges, the accuser is either (2) not the one pressing charges, and another party, like her parents, is pressing charges on her behalf, or (3) has a criminal record or a history of outlandish lies.
Kavanaugh's attempted rape victim has gotten death threats and is in hiding apparently. Probably why she was reluctant to come forward.
If she does testify it will be every Republican against her. The smear campaign is on already. Grassley said if she doesn't show up then there will be no hearing (because the only point of a hearing to Chuck is to smear her and clear Kavanaugh not to get the truth).
Idiots like Laura Ingram are saying OMG if this can happen to Kavanaugh (that his attempted rapist past being brought up is something happening to him huh) then no one is safe! And Trump's saying he doesn't know a better guy (well that maybe true he hangs out with a lot of felons and criminals) and he can't believe this is happening to him.
Kavanaugh's attempted rape victim has gotten death threats and is in hiding apparently. Probably why she was reluctant to come forward.
If she does testify it will be every Republican against her. The smear campaign is on already. Grassley said if she doesn't show up then there will be no hearing (because the only point of a hearing to Chuck is to smear her and clear Kavanaugh not to get the truth).
Idiots like Laura Ingram are saying OMG if this can happen to Kavanaugh (that his attempted rapist past being brought up is something happening to him huh) then no one is safe! And Trump's saying he doesn't know a better guy (well that maybe true he hangs out with a lot of felons and criminals) and he can't believe this is happening to him.
Kavanaugh's not the victim.
Yeah, it's a real wonder why all of us who haven't committed sexual assault over the years haven't been accused by anyone of doing so. I don't know how we walk this precarious tightrope.
i still can't believe he did it without more proof, and based on statistics. if we're talking about preponderance of evidence (i don't like it, but never mind) we don't have it yet. these facts about the world and statistical data are not evidence in the concrete case
to think that someone is more probably guilty than not can not be established by stating that he or the accuser fit a certain mold. that's a very unjust, very bad way of thinking about crime, as i'm sure you all know.
According to Ms. Ford's account--and I am paraphrasing here--the two perpetrators pushed her into a bedroom, locked the door, turned up the volume of music to cover up any noise which might be made, held her down on the bed (including putting a hand over her mouth), but she was able to get away and lock herself in a bathroom for safety. The central problem is this: no actual crime took place. Locking someone in a bedroom and holding them down on a bed might, according to some local laws, constitute "assault" but no sexual contact took place. If it had, she would be saying so.
As far as "the FBI needs to investigate this matter"...well, unfortunately this does not fall under the FBI's jurisdiction--a Federal crime would have to have been broken in order for them to investigate. Besides, nothing like this came to light the previous times the FBI has investigated Kavanaugh--background checks for his other appointments to a judicial bench.
Has Kavanaugh engaged in similar behavior as an adult? If so, then it would probably have been discovered during those previous FBI background checks and we would probably all already know about it. If not, then there is no story here beyond attempts to delay the confirmation hearings until after November elections. Don't misunderstand me--I am not defending Kavanaugh; instead, I am merely pointing out that in this instance there isn't anything to investigate. He is probably still a cabrón.
Our daughter was actually assaulted--the moment she told her mother they went straight to the police. No waiting, no second-guessing herself, no blaming herself, no wondering if she somehow caused it or allowed it or anything else. If she has the courage to report it the moment it happens then so does everyone else. *That* is why I have very little sympathy for those who wait 10, 20, or 30 years before saying something.
Our daughter was actually assaulted--the moment she told her mother they went straight to the police. No waiting, no second-guessing herself, no blaming herself, no wondering if she somehow caused it or allowed it or anything else. If she has the courage to report it the moment it happens then so does everyone else. *That* is why I have very little sympathy for those who wait 10, 20, or 30 years before saying something.
I normally refrain from commenting here for various reasons, but that last comment triggered me somewhat. You just can't project how someone deals with a traumatic experience that easily. A lot of people don't say anything for various reasons : fear of retribution is one of them, but, all those reasons you yourself pointed out @Mathsorcerer are actually valid reasons why someone wouldn't say a thing. I'm not saying the victims are right to second-guess themself, but that it's a psychological pattern often seen in victims that makes them unsure of what to do with the situation. Not everybody has the courage of your daughter; maybe not everybody has the same strong, protecting and emotionally stable family your daughter might have.
I'm truly happy that your daughter reported her assault right away and I believe that's the optimal behavior in those situations. But I'll never berate or judge anybody for not doing so. There are just too many variables at play here. Just to make it clear : I'm not saying that this whole Kavanaugh situation is not made up and politically motivated, because it might be for all we know; that's a whole other problem. What I'm saying is, because a victim waited to tell the truth is not an enough of an excuse to dismiss their claim.
If we're talking about personnal experiences, my own mother was abused when she was 6 years old by one of her uncle. She never said a thing even when she grew up and realized the extend of the situation, because of all the reasons you said : guilt, fear of the family scandal, ... She should have said something, even though it would have been harder in the 1950s, but I'll never hold that against her. She was not the perpetrator, she was the victim.
When McConnell and Graham make statements like this, the only possible reason I can think of is that they simply don't think most people know what happened with Merrick Garland. And given the civic illiteracy of most of this country, I wouldn't doubt that's probably the case. But to put it in Game of Thrones terms, "the North remembers".
Also, no one is asking the FBI to start a criminal investigation of Kavanaugh. They are asking to add this to what is essentially his vetting and background check, being as he is going to sit on the court for over 3 decades if he is confirmed and make decisions about every facet of our lives. But being as lying to the FBI is a crime, I can see why Kavanaugh and his friend don't want to talk to them.
Meanwhile, Professor Ford is literally in hiding with her two teenage children, for obvious reasons. Any sentient member of this thread would have known from the moment she came forward she would receive a flood of death threats, which is of course what has happened. So I'm sure all of this has been very worthwhile for her. Takes alot of dedication to the liberal conspiracy to be willing to totally destroy your life to falsely accuse a Supreme Court nominee.
Here is a direct quote from Graham: “This has been a drive-by shooting when it comes to Kavanaugh. I’ll listen to the lady, but we’re going to bring this to a close.” Well what in the hell is the point of her even showing up if this is the STATED AND ADMITTED position of the (all-male by the way) GOP members of the Judiciary Committee?? They aren't even pretending that what she will say before them matters, yet insisting that if she doesn't do it on Monday, and not a second later, that's it. No investigation, no calling of the other witness, and an obvious and complete contempt for her story before the hearing even begins. I'd tell him to go f**k himself after reading that quote.
i don't blame graham, he's not a judge and i won't hold him up to that standard.
unlike a judge, as a politician, partisan by nature of his job, objectivity and impartiality can't be expected from him. that's why the whole senate judicial hearing dealing with alleged crimes is a joke on a conceptual level
According to Ms. Ford's account--and I am paraphrasing here--the two perpetrators pushed her into a bedroom, locked the door, turned up the volume of music to cover up any noise which might be made, held her down on the bed (including putting a hand over her mouth), but she was able to get away and lock herself in a bathroom for safety. The central problem is this: no actual crime took place. Locking someone in a bedroom and holding them down on a bed might, according to some local laws, constitute "assault" but no sexual contact took place. If it had, she would be saying so.
No, that is false imprisonment, barring anything else. "Pushing someone into a room and locking the door" (I presume without consent) is the false imprisonment. Holding them down physically would be battery, assault would happen before that as well.
Our daughter was actually assaulted--the moment she told her mother they went straight to the police. No waiting, no second-guessing herself, no blaming herself, no wondering if she somehow caused it or allowed it or anything else. If she has the courage to report it the moment it happens then so does everyone else. *That* is why I have very little sympathy for those who wait 10, 20, or 30 years before saying something.
Good for her. But she is somehow magically the minimum bar for courage? EVERYONE has to be, MUST be more courageous than her to report an assault? No?
According to Ms. Ford's account--and I am paraphrasing here--the two perpetrators pushed her into a bedroom, locked the door, turned up the volume of music to cover up any noise which might be made, held her down on the bed (including putting a hand over her mouth), but she was able to get away and lock herself in a bathroom for safety. The central problem is this: no actual crime took place. Locking someone in a bedroom and holding them down on a bed might, according to some local laws, constitute "assault" but no sexual contact took place. If it had, she would be saying so.
i've read that she alleges he groped her (while lying on top of her?) and tried to take her swimming suit off. it's possibly an attempted rape, but it's a very very difficult factual matter to deal with. i'm not a us lawyer so i don't know if attempted rape is treated generally as rape with attempt being an alleviating circumstance (or not even that), or as a separate offense. if it's a separate offense, probably it's much lighter (misdemeanor even?) and in that case statute of limitations has likely run out (if it's not separate, it has not run out).
personally, i think that every attempt should be treated the same as a completed criminal act.
also, i have to add, i don't know how you got that picture of her allegations that you've got, because it's clearly incomplete, and not what has been reported in any media i've read. swimming suit and groping has been mentioned everywhere.
@Mathsorcerer Your daughter is lucky to have supportive parents like that. One of my close friends was assaulted a family member and a friend at the same time when they were 5. They were forbidden from ever speaking of it. They even tried (try) to convince the victim that it NEVER HAPPENED To this day, if my friend tries to talk about it, or even bring it up around their parents, they get immediately shouted down they angrily deny every claim. Choosing not to, or not being able to bring this to the police or even talk about it immediately does NOT preclude you from ever being able to do so, or from seeking justice. These are the people that NEED OUR SYMPATHY the most.
@Mathsorcerer Your daughter is lucky to have supportive parents like that. One of my close friends was assaulted a family member and a friend at the same time when they were 5. They were forbidden from ever speaking of it. They even tried (try) to convince the victim that it NEVER HAPPENED To this day, if my friend tries to talk about it, or even bring it up around their parents, they get immediately shouted down they angrily deny every claim. Choosing not to, or not being able to bring this to the police or even talk about it immediately does NOT preclude you from ever being able to do so, or from seeking justice. These are the people that NEED OUR SYMPATHY the most.
This constant pattern we see of family members denying something happened to their daughter (I believe this is the 3rd or 4th anecdotal account just in this thread from real life experiences) strikes me as inherently selfish on the part of those parents or family members, because it seems to me that their #1 motivation is not being personally embarrassed. WHY they would feel embarrassed is a whole other question, but I think that simply goes back to the idea that society views female sexuality as inherently sinful and wrong and views male sexuality in terms of domination and conquest. I think that is really what we are dealing with here. I have no doubt alot of the people defending Kavanaugh in this country don't so much not believe it happened as they don't view it as a big deal.
Let's be honest, in high school and college what were women who were known to sleep around called?? Everyone knows they were labeled as (and excuse me, but this is necessary language) "sluts" or "whores". A guy who engaged in the exact same behavior would have been called a "stud", and been the king of the locker room. The male was someone to be emulated, the female someone to be shamed. I think this is so deeply ingrained in the pathology of the human race that it might just be possible we never get over it. The reason sexual assault allegations are treated so dismissively in this culture is because they upset the narrative we've been being fed our entire lives. I mean, this goes back to the Garden of Eden. Who, in the end, is given the lion's share of the blame for the exile from paradise?? The seductive woman. Adam is portrayed as having almost no agency in that story, helpless against Eve's suggestion.
@Mathsorcerer Your daughter is lucky to have supportive parents like that. One of my close friends was assaulted a family member and a friend at the same time when they were 5. They were forbidden from ever speaking of it. They even tried (try) to convince the victim that it NEVER HAPPENED To this day, if my friend tries to talk about it, or even bring it up around their parents, they get immediately shouted down they angrily deny every claim. Choosing not to, or not being able to bring this to the police or even talk about it immediately does NOT preclude you from ever being able to do so, or from seeking justice. These are the people that NEED OUR SYMPATHY the most.
choosing to not report a crime is bad, and if someone calls that berating victims or whatever, they're woefully misguided. help victims by raising awareness on the following message: "DON'T HESISTATE OR DELAY: if you think you'll be safer if you don't report, you are putting yourself and other women at risk; if you think that it's better to just move on with your life, you risk endangering your psychological well-being down the road, and that of other women who are potential victims"
delaying for decades has consequences, and one very real consequence is that the offender is free. society can't deal with this by raising awareness that non-reporting is a necessity of life. that's cynical and decadent, because it negates civic values. it's actually regressive.
Side note: the author of this article is an incredibly good writer. You can almost see and feel the misogyny in the town in the same way you can feel the racism when watching "Mississippi Burning".
Our daughter was actually assaulted--the moment she told her mother they went straight to the police. No waiting, no second-guessing herself, no blaming herself, no wondering if she somehow caused it or allowed it or anything else. If she has the courage to report it the moment it happens then so does everyone else. *That* is why I have very little sympathy for those who wait 10, 20, or 30 years before saying something.
The world is a shitload different now than it was even 10 years ago, let alone 30.
If you want insight on how victims of sexual assault are treated by law enforcement, the community and media, go watch the documentary Audrie and Daisy. It should still be on Netflix.
Side note: the author of this article is an incredibly good writer. You can almost see and feel the misogyny in the town in the same way you can feel the racism when watching "Mississippi Burning".
disaster...
provincial backwardness is a greater evil than can be addressed with an ultra narrow victim-affirming attitude
Side note: the author of this article is an incredibly good writer. You can almost see and feel the misogyny in the town in the same way you can feel the racism when watching "Mississippi Burning".
disaster...
provincial backwardness is a greater evil than can be addressed with an ultra narrow victim-affirming attitude
We haven't even yet talked about the provincial nature of the prep school Kavanaugh attended, which is a whole other ball of wax.....he was being "prepped" (pun intended) to be a master of the universe since he was in high school. If the Federalist society had created a test tube baby and raised it from birth, it would be Brett Kavanaugh.
Her story seems credible to me. It may not qualify as actual "rape" as some people define it, but it does qualify as sexual assault, which is just as bad. The fact that Kavanaugh didn't have her consent is what makes this a criminal act.
Whether or not it is rape or merely sexual assault depends on the state it happened in. Some states define rape as actual penetration while in others, oral sex also counts. (Anal penetration, by body part or an object, also counts). The fact that she was under the influence also counts as non-consensual. She would not have been able to legally give consent because she had been drinking. He was within 3 years of her age, which, if he had been older than that, it would have added to the illegality of the act.
If it's not rape, it is considered sexual battery. A lesser offense than outright rape, but still bad. Since she was restrained at the time the sexual battery happened, it would be felony sexual battery.
In Ohio, someone charged with this could serve up to five years in Prison. (sentences vary by state.)
Look - to me Kavanaugh is a scumbag. That's a feature not a bug for Trump who has at best shown himself to be a petty insecure lying tyrant of a leader. At worst he considers himself above the law and wants to destroy democracy.
Kavanaugh should not be confirmed for a Supreme Court seat. He should be dismissed and impeached for lying during his confirmation hearings. If Ford shows up they will claim she's victimizing the 'good name' of Kavanaugh. It's a no win situation for her to get victimized again.
Republicans will confirm Kavanaugh anyway.
They don't care. He's their corporate hack. He's their boy there could be tape of him raping Ford they don't care.
It's worth mentioning that there were 12 Trump accusers, I believe 7 Roy Moore accusers, and now Kavanaugh's. That adds up to 20. According to Trump, ALL of them are lying. And given the article I reported yesterday about the percentage of sexual assault claims that are made up, the chances that all 20 of these women are lying is basically a statistical impossibility.
I normally refrain from commenting here for various reasons, but that last comment triggered me somewhat. You just can't project how someone deals with a traumatic experience that easily. A lot of people don't say anything for various reasons : fear of retribution is one of them, but, all those reasons you yourself pointed out @Mathsorcerer are actually valid reasons why someone wouldn't say a thing. I'm not saying the victims are right to second-guess themself, but that it's a psychological pattern often seen in victims that makes them unsure of what to do with the situation. Not everybody has the courage of your daughter; maybe not everybody has the same strong, protecting and emotionally stable family your daughter might have.
Well, sometimes I am the cabrón, but at least I admit it when I am. Sometimes I am also blunt and, truthfully, stubborn.
also, i have to add, i don't know how you got that picture of her allegations that you've got, because it's clearly incomplete, and not what has been reported in any media i've read. swimming suit and groping has been mentioned everywhere.
I did say "paraphrasing", if you recall. Someone else on another board posted the letter Ms. Ford had initially written to...Feinstien, I think it was...back in July (might have been June). Anyway, she didn't mention groping in that letter, which is why it was not included in my comments. The person who linked the letter hasn't mentioned it, either, and she has been keeping a close eye on this story since it broke.
I had to chastise a different poster over there, as well, because he was essentially blaming Ms. Ford. He needed to be reminded that she isn't the perpetrator here but the victim.
Oh, and the author of that article @jjstraka34 cited needs to remember that Arlington, TX is *not* "East Texas". Everything else in the article is accurate--especially about how much of the social abuse victims receive often comes from peers, especially in high school, which is why our daughter is home-schooling for her senior year.
@jjstraka34 20 Trump accusers. Not 12. These include his former wife, Ivanka. And let us not forget Trump's own words about how he would grab women by the P***y.
Let me address for one moment the idea that this is all based on politics. It is not ALL based on politics, but it certainly is political. That is not a bad thing. Because politics, in the end, is power. Let me go over the situation Democrats/liberals/left find themselves in in regards to the Supreme Court:
1). 66 million people voted for Barack Obama in the 2012 election, with the understanding that the President of the United States is allowed to make Supreme Court picks. For the first time in history, the President was denied the ability to make that pick, and the Republican Senate flat-out refused to have a hearing for 300 days. Moreover, they made it ABUNDANTLY clear that if Hillary Clinton had won and Republicans retained control of the Senate, she would also not be allowed a pick, effectively making the new policy of the GOP "only Republicans get to make Supreme Court picks".
2.) That picked was handed off to his Republican successor who had no right to be making it. Of course, that pick was Gorsuch, but it is impossible not to feel that EVERY pick from now on is in fact, the Garland pick. It was our guy's pick to make, and he never got to make it. Until that is remedied (and it really can't be remedied without court packing or impeachment of a justice) it is hard for many of us to view the Supreme Court as a legitimate body anymore.
3.) Obama's two picks, Sotomayor and Kagan, had ALL their records turned over in regards to their time in government during their nominations. The vast majority of Kavanaugh's record from the Bush Administration are being purposefully hidden from the Senate and from the public.
4.) Kavanaugh has been found to have, at the very least, been wholly untruthful in confirmation hearings for lower court seats. The idea that one of the nine judges of the Supreme Court should be able to get away with lying under oath is absurd.
5.) Kavanaugh is going to be THE vote that destroys women's reproductive health in this country. Even if he doesn't flat-out vote to overturn Roe, he will absolutely join the majority in crippling abortion rights at the state level to the point where it will be effectively the same.
6.) The idea that the person who is MOST likely in the last 50 years to be the vote that fundamentally changes the rights of women to have autonomy over their own bodies would be a person who may have LITERALLY forced himself upon a woman's body is simply the absolute last straw, especially given everything else I have already mentioned in this list.
So OF COURSE the left is going to use this accusation to try to defeat his nomination. Even taken on it's own merits, it is of course important to find out the truth about what took place. But the idea that the Democrats should continue to allow themselves to get steamrolled in regards to the most powerful branch of government given the constant BS we have put up with in regards to this institution since Obama's last year in office is absurd. Of course we are going to fight to keep him (and ANY one of) Trump's nominees off the bench. To do anything less would be absolute political malpractice given what has taken place. Not fighting to do so allows the most cynical and blatant power grab I have ever seen to go unchecked. That does NOT mean the accusation is manufactured. But of course the left is going to try use it to end Kavanaugh's nomination. This isn't hopscotch.
See, that's the kind of honesty I respect. It is abundantly obvious the underlying motive for this being pushed isn't concern for sexual assault victims or for punishing abusers, it's political power. The pretense otherwise was painfully false.
Ellison's case is recent, medical records have been shown, there is a far greater possibility of actually solving this one in a real way as opposed to an accusation that will never see a real and honest hearing whether it is true or not.
And then there is the fact that Congress is sitting on hundreds of hidden and buried cases of sexual assault by congressmen that we learned about last year. There is a good chance that some of the politicians pointing fingers are guilty of things equally bad while in office.
Me, I just think it's immoral to push very serious accusations (and ignore others) that you are unsure of because you want political power.
Comments
https://qz.com/980766/the-truth-about-false-rape-accusations/
I have also added the author of the original piece providing commentary about this specific situation this morning:
https://www.vox.com/first-person/2018/9/18/17874504/kavanaugh-assault-allegation-christine-blasey-ford
There are two reason this is important information. One is so we can be on alert for possible false allegations, because they can be destructive to those they are leveled against (obviously). But the other is that we need to come to grips with the fact that they are exceedingly rare and follow a distinct pattern, and the idea that every woman who steps forward is possibly lying is just not justified by the facts when looking at the patterns of false allegations.
Meanwhile, Moo Jae-in and Kim Jong-un are having a third meeting in recent months. The likely result of these meetings is expected to be the official end of the Korean War (currently its status is "cease fire", which does not equal "ended").
It's much like how you skim over the date and time stamp of most comments: you only check when it was edited if you have a specific reason to do so (like if somebody tried to hide evidence of rulebreaking behavior by editing a post).
It's your inner fanboy.
However, I saw the tag and thought "Politics? When"
All together now;
"Politics huh.....What is it good for?"
1. Between 2% and 10% of rape accusations are estimated to be false.
2. Since 1989, only 52 men have been exonerated by a false rape charge.
3. A study the article describes as "the most detailed study ever conducted of sexual assault reports to police" found that of 216 rape accusations deemed to be false, only in 39 did the accuser name the accused, only 6 cases resulted in arrest, and only 2 cases resulted in charges (later dropped). Thus, the vast majority of false rape accusations result in no criminal charges (though they can certainly cause damage in other areas).
4. One of the most common reasons for a false rape accusation is "a teenage girl who tells her parents she was raped to avoid getting in trouble." In other words, a girl might not wish to admit that the sex was consensual (to the extent that a girl of a certain age can consent). Almost half of all false rape accusations are brought to the police's attention not by the alleged victim, but by another party, like a parent.
5. A less common reason for a false rape accusation is to obtain medical treatment, which seldom involves charges being brought.
6. Of the false accusers who actually press charges, nearly all of them have a criminal record or a history of telling outlandish lies or making frivolous lawsuits. The UVA accuser had a history to this effect.
7. Many false accusers also have a form of severe psychosis, and tell stories that are similarly implausible.
8. An LAPD study found that 78% of false accusations involve aggravated assault and involve weapons and the threat of physical force. False accusations generally paint portraits of violent scenarios. The UVA accuser's allegations also fit this mold.
It seems that (1) the large majority of false rape accusations never result in criminal charges, and of the few false rape accusations that do result in charges, the accuser is either (2) not the one pressing charges, and another party, like her parents, is pressing charges on her behalf, or (3) has a criminal record or a history of outlandish lies.
If she does testify it will be every Republican against her. The smear campaign is on already. Grassley said if she doesn't show up then there will be no hearing (because the only point of a hearing to Chuck is to smear her and clear Kavanaugh not to get the truth).
Idiots like Laura Ingram are saying OMG if this can happen to Kavanaugh (that his attempted rapist past being brought up is something happening to him huh) then no one is safe! And Trump's saying he doesn't know a better guy (well that maybe true he hangs out with a lot of felons and criminals) and he can't believe this is happening to him.
Kavanaugh's not the victim.
to think that someone is more probably guilty than not can not be established by stating that he or the accuser fit a certain mold. that's a very unjust, very bad way of thinking about crime, as i'm sure you all know.
As far as "the FBI needs to investigate this matter"...well, unfortunately this does not fall under the FBI's jurisdiction--a Federal crime would have to have been broken in order for them to investigate. Besides, nothing like this came to light the previous times the FBI has investigated Kavanaugh--background checks for his other appointments to a judicial bench.
Has Kavanaugh engaged in similar behavior as an adult? If so, then it would probably have been discovered during those previous FBI background checks and we would probably all already know about it. If not, then there is no story here beyond attempts to delay the confirmation hearings until after November elections. Don't misunderstand me--I am not defending Kavanaugh; instead, I am merely pointing out that in this instance there isn't anything to investigate. He is probably still a cabrón.
Our daughter was actually assaulted--the moment she told her mother they went straight to the police. No waiting, no second-guessing herself, no blaming herself, no wondering if she somehow caused it or allowed it or anything else. If she has the courage to report it the moment it happens then so does everyone else. *That* is why I have very little sympathy for those who wait 10, 20, or 30 years before saying something.
I'm truly happy that your daughter reported her assault right away and I believe that's the optimal behavior in those situations. But I'll never berate or judge anybody for not doing so. There are just too many variables at play here. Just to make it clear : I'm not saying that this whole Kavanaugh situation is not made up and politically motivated, because it might be for all we know; that's a whole other problem. What I'm saying is, because a victim waited to tell the truth is not an enough of an excuse to dismiss their claim.
If we're talking about personnal experiences, my own mother was abused when she was 6 years old by one of her uncle. She never said a thing even when she grew up and realized the extend of the situation, because of all the reasons you said : guilt, fear of the family scandal, ... She should have said something, even though it would have been harder in the 1950s, but I'll never hold that against her. She was not the perpetrator, she was the victim.
When McConnell and Graham make statements like this, the only possible reason I can think of is that they simply don't think most people know what happened with Merrick Garland. And given the civic illiteracy of most of this country, I wouldn't doubt that's probably the case. But to put it in Game of Thrones terms, "the North remembers".
Also, no one is asking the FBI to start a criminal investigation of Kavanaugh. They are asking to add this to what is essentially his vetting and background check, being as he is going to sit on the court for over 3 decades if he is confirmed and make decisions about every facet of our lives. But being as lying to the FBI is a crime, I can see why Kavanaugh and his friend don't want to talk to them.
Meanwhile, Professor Ford is literally in hiding with her two teenage children, for obvious reasons. Any sentient member of this thread would have known from the moment she came forward she would receive a flood of death threats, which is of course what has happened. So I'm sure all of this has been very worthwhile for her. Takes alot of dedication to the liberal conspiracy to be willing to totally destroy your life to falsely accuse a Supreme Court nominee.
Here is a direct quote from Graham: “This has been a drive-by shooting when it comes to Kavanaugh. I’ll listen to the lady, but we’re going to bring this to a close.” Well what in the hell is the point of her even showing up if this is the STATED AND ADMITTED position of the (all-male by the way) GOP members of the Judiciary Committee?? They aren't even pretending that what she will say before them matters, yet insisting that if she doesn't do it on Monday, and not a second later, that's it. No investigation, no calling of the other witness, and an obvious and complete contempt for her story before the hearing even begins. I'd tell him to go f**k himself after reading that quote.
unlike a judge, as a politician, partisan by nature of his job, objectivity and impartiality can't be expected from him. that's why the whole senate judicial hearing dealing with alleged crimes is a joke on a conceptual level
Good for her. But she is somehow magically the minimum bar for courage? EVERYONE has to be, MUST be more courageous than her to report an assault? No?
personally, i think that every attempt should be treated the same as a completed criminal act.
also, i have to add, i don't know how you got that picture of her allegations that you've got, because it's clearly incomplete, and not what has been reported in any media i've read. swimming suit and groping has been mentioned everywhere.
Let's be honest, in high school and college what were women who were known to sleep around called?? Everyone knows they were labeled as (and excuse me, but this is necessary language) "sluts" or "whores". A guy who engaged in the exact same behavior would have been called a "stud", and been the king of the locker room. The male was someone to be emulated, the female someone to be shamed. I think this is so deeply ingrained in the pathology of the human race that it might just be possible we never get over it. The reason sexual assault allegations are treated so dismissively in this culture is because they upset the narrative we've been being fed our entire lives. I mean, this goes back to the Garden of Eden. Who, in the end, is given the lion's share of the blame for the exile from paradise?? The seductive woman. Adam is portrayed as having almost no agency in that story, helpless against Eve's suggestion.
help victims by raising awareness on the following message: "DON'T HESISTATE OR DELAY: if you think you'll be safer if you don't report, you are putting yourself and other women at risk; if you think that it's better to just move on with your life, you risk endangering your psychological well-being down the road, and that of other women who are potential victims"
delaying for decades has consequences, and one very real consequence is that the offender is free. society can't deal with this by raising awareness that non-reporting is a necessity of life. that's cynical and decadent, because it negates civic values. it's actually regressive.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2018/opinions/arlington-texas/?utm_term=.8a8a629cd402
Side note: the author of this article is an incredibly good writer. You can almost see and feel the misogyny in the town in the same way you can feel the racism when watching "Mississippi Burning".
If you want insight on how victims of sexual assault are treated by law enforcement, the community and media, go watch the documentary Audrie and Daisy. It should still be on Netflix.
provincial backwardness is a greater evil than can be addressed with an ultra narrow victim-affirming attitude
Whether or not it is rape or merely sexual assault depends on the state it happened in. Some states define rape as actual penetration while in others, oral sex also counts. (Anal penetration, by body part or an object, also counts). The fact that she was under the influence also counts as non-consensual. She would not have been able to legally give consent because she had been drinking. He was within 3 years of her age, which, if he had been older than that, it would have added to the illegality of the act.
If it's not rape, it is considered sexual battery. A lesser offense than outright rape, but still bad. Since she was restrained at the time the sexual battery happened, it would be felony sexual battery.
In Ohio, someone charged with this could serve up to five years in Prison. (sentences vary by state.)
Kavanaugh should not be confirmed for a Supreme Court seat. He should be dismissed and impeached for lying during his confirmation hearings. If Ford shows up they will claim she's victimizing the 'good name' of Kavanaugh. It's a no win situation for her to get victimized again.
Republicans will confirm Kavanaugh anyway.
They don't care. He's their corporate hack. He's their boy there could be tape of him raping Ford they don't care.
When Republicans are sending out their politicians they aren't sending their best. They regularly nominate bigots, liars, and con artists for positions. Trump's all three. Pedophiles and Nazis aren't a problem either. (See Roy Moore's and Arthur Jones). Heck here's another Republican child sex trafficker from a couple days ago: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/09/18/ex-oklahoma-state-senator-gets-15-year-prison-sentence-for-child-sex-trafficking.html
I had to chastise a different poster over there, as well, because he was essentially blaming Ms. Ford. He needed to be reminded that she isn't the perpetrator here but the victim.
Oh, and the author of that article @jjstraka34 cited needs to remember that Arlington, TX is *not* "East Texas". Everything else in the article is accurate--especially about how much of the social abuse victims receive often comes from peers, especially in high school, which is why our daughter is home-schooling for her senior year.
Ellison's case is recent, medical records have been shown, there is a far greater possibility of actually solving this one in a real way as opposed to an accusation that will never see a real and honest hearing whether it is true or not.
And then there is the fact that Congress is sitting on hundreds of hidden and buried cases of sexual assault by congressmen that we learned about last year. There is a good chance that some of the politicians pointing fingers are guilty of things equally bad while in office.
Me, I just think it's immoral to push very serious accusations (and ignore others) that you are unsure of because you want political power.