Quote:
Originally Posted by DrPhil
I'm not familiar with the honorgal username but I don't think the person is trolling. This is one of many complex issues that spark discussion, debate, and emotions on both sides.
It goes back to what some of us said in the beginning of this thread: the investigation should be handled correctly by the school and law enforcement for the alleged victim and the alleged perpetrator. It is all alleged until proven otherwise. Alleged physical acts against women and children are the few times people say "you're guilty because I said so 2 seconds ago" and I'm not okay with that. That is partly rooted in protecting victims and mostly rooted in societal views towards women and children. But when it comes to women who, unlike children, are legal adults, it is not unreasonable to process these alleged incidents without instantly demonizing the alleged victim or alleged perpetrator. Automatically believing a woman who claims sexual assault or rape is the opposite extreme of automatically discrediting her. Both sides are arguably rooted in aspects of gender inequality, patriarchy, and sexism. There is a more reasonable and realistic middle ground that neither equates (girlhood or) womanhood with victim nor liar.
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Hey Dr. Phil. Definitely not a troll. I just have never posted much, but yes, this is an issue that hits some hot buttons for me. And I agree with much of what you are saying, but I will stand by my earlier statement that we don't know exactly how this was handled (or mishandled). This is especially true of the University, as they are bound by strict confidentiality laws. But I do know a hatchet job when I see one (the NYT article in particular and the media in general, in this case) and that's another hot button with me. I don't like the use of scapegoats.
You are asking for investigations to be handled correctly, and that there is a middle ground. I'm sure there is room for improvement, but my sense is that in the vast majority of these types of cases, no system will work. Which is why it burns me up that the campus activists and the media are almost exclusively focused on the process after the the fact. Because anything else is just victim blaming. (You know, like telling young co-eds that maybe they should think twice about getting blotto and climbing into bed naked with some guy they barely know). At the end of "the process" the girl is still violated, even if the University does everything by the book and with compassion to boot. Time to use some common sense. What you call gender inequality, I call gender differences. It's also known as biology.
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