4 men, rugby players, acquitted of rape today.
The victim was portrayed poorly in the media, pictures of the knickers she was wearing on the night paraded infront of the court and making the front covers of newspapers. This woman was not only violated to the highest degree but she was slut shamed, victim shamed, was treated like a criminal while on the stand after being questioned for 9 days. She was degraded for how she was dressed, because she wore fake tan and because she went to a party without her friends.
The men were question on average for about 0.5 - 2 days, questions included asking about their family life and their hobbies.
Northern Ireland saw a 40% raise in rape complaints last year however only 3% (or one out of ten) cases ended in a conviction.
Men, mostly rugby fans, are calling out everywhere for this woman to be jailed and revealed (even though her name has already been spread). This woman is slated and degraded all over social media.
I feel we as women and individuals have been let down immensely. There was vaginal tearing, a taxi driver witness who said she was crying inconsably in the back of his car with blood on her jeans, she visited a doctor the day before and told her friends she was scared to tell the police because she knew they would get off. While in the men’s group chat they called women ‘Belfast slags’, called themselves ‘top shaggers’ and the mention of their ‘spit roast’ being compared to a ‘merry go round’ was then soon deleted to try get rid of evidence. This woman did everything right but has still been failed.
But taking into account the men’s acquittal this still doesn’t make them ‘good men’. These men are misogynist, sexist individuals who I am ashamed to say have represented NI and Ireland.
I am ashamed of this country, I am ashamed of this verdict, I am ashamed of the reactions of the people who live not minutes down the road from me. I am also very very ashamed to be the only one in my family who believes this woman because she went to a house party by herself means ‘she was obviously looking to have sex’ and because my uncle has heard stories of her sexual encounters then that makes her as obliviously consenting to sex with two men and exposer to one. I have never been ashamed of my family and I am distraught that this is the reason why.
We will now see the consequences of what has happened today, rape claims will plummet, women all over will be scared to admit to being raped especially if they are raped by someone in a position of power in sport or in general.
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