Quote:
Originally Posted by SydneyK
I don't think it's either fair or accurate to say that either the victim is lying or that the accused is lying. I agree with Low D Flat - it's possible that both parties remember the same event differently.
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That's fair, of course people don't remember events in exactly identical detail*. My point, however, is that when you have two different stories, I don't think that the default should be that the accused is giving the correct version of events and the alleged victim is not. While that makes sense in the official criminal justice system, I think universities should use a lower burden of proof (as does Title IX).
Obviously a lot of people disagree with me, and feel that universities should not expel someone unless they have proof beyond a reasonable doubt that a rape occurred. Many other university honor code violations are handled in this manner, and I see no reason that, when rape is on the table, we suddenly need to give more weight to what is said by the accused and/or need to suddenly go out of our way to try to discredit the victim.
*Also note that consent, or a lack thereof, is usually clear. Rapists know what they are doing as they do it.