The cultish hive-mind known as feminism (specifically, Third Wave Feminism) has given me some great comedic fodder over the years. Whether they’re complaining about mansplaining (men taking a condescending tone in explaining things to women) or complaining about myths like the wage gap, these poor souls who are complaining about their first world problems are the gift that keeps on giving.
However, their new movement, #IBelieveSurvivors, is something completely different. Not only is it a dumb movement, but it is also quite dangerous.
What does #IBelieveSurvivors mean?
The hashtag, as womansplained to me (I can also make up “oppressive” terms that mean nothing), is the idea that we should believe the stories of rape survivors when they come forward.
When I first saw the hashtag, it was in the aftermath of the James Deen sexual assault accusations. Deen was first accused of rape by his ex-girlfriend Stoya, a female porn star.
James Deen held me down and fucked me while I said no, stop, used my safeword. I just can't nod and smile when people bring him up anymore.
— Stoya (@stoya) November 28, 2015
Further accusations were given by fellow performer Johanna Angel (another ex), who warned other porn stars of Deen “having no boundaries” and “trying to break people.” Also commenting was adult actress Ashley Fires, who refuses to work with Deen because he allegedly tried to rape her.
(Some of you may be wondering how I know the names and relationships of different porn stars. The answer, of course, is irrelevant.)
In the wake of these multiple accusations, many people took to the internet with messages of support, including the hashtag #IBelieveSurvivors. While some of the messages seemed rational, there was one that was quite interesting. Well, look for yourself.
When you need more proof than her truth, you're rape culture.
— Lyndsay Kirkham (@Lyndsay_Kirkham) March 26, 2016
Why is #IBelieveSurvivors dumb?
Saying that rape and sexual assault are tough experiences to talk about is a humongous understatement. So, when someone comes forward with that, it needs to be taken seriously. However, there are two sides to that. Not only does this mean that the accuser is believed to be telling the truth, but also that a serious investigation has to take place. We have to have more than the word of the victim.
I’ve been told by womansplainers that a rape accusation is merely a social stigma, but that is not true. Any accusation of a heinous crime does more to a person than making them a pariah. With the power of the internet, rape accusations can follow a person for years. They can cost jobs, admittance to college, and even child custody.
There is no other crime where we rely solely on the word of the victim. I can’t file a police report that a person who I dislike stole my Aston Martin and prosecute the person based on my word alone. I would have to prove that I owned an Aston Martin (sadly, I don’t) that it is now in the possession of the other person and that I did not give them permission to take it. Although rape is harder to prove, an alleged rapist is still entitled to his day in court.
We saw that play out in the trial of Jian Ghomeshi. Ghomeshi, a Canadian radio host, was recently on trial for sexual assault by three different women. According to the #IBelieveSurvivors crowd, this should have been a quick trial. They made accusations, so it must be true.
As the trial went on, however, the witnesses proved to be less than forthcoming at best, if not flat-out lying at worst. Whether they lied about future conversations with the defendant (sending messages about dates and sexy pictures to the defendant) or not initially admitting that one defendant later had consensual sex with Ghomeshi, they weakened the case and allowed Ghomeshi to walk free of these charges.
This wasn’t good enough for the feminists, however. Attacking Ghomeshi, his lawyer, and the Canadian justice system, the #IBelieveSurvivors crowd were outraged that justice was denied, even though they could not prove it. Whether or not Ghomeshi actually committed these crimes, we do not know. However, he was tried, witnesses were brought forward, and there was not enough evidence to prove that he committed the crime. Like it or not, that’s how the justice system works.
Why is #IBelieveSurviors dangerous?
Let’s be serious now.
I don’t know why this has to be said, but I’ll say it. Convicting someone of a crime without proof is dangerous. Whether we are looking at the Spanish Inquisition or the Salem Witch Trials, we see what happens when people are charged and convicted of “crimes” with no proof.
If those don’t hit home for you, let’s talk about “To Kill a Mockingbird.” For those of you who were not forced to read that book in English class, the main story in that book was the rape trial of Tom Robinson. Robinson, a black man, was accused of raping a white girl. Despite the legal work of Atticus Finch making it clear that no rape took place, the all-white jury found Robinson guilty of rape and sent him to jail, where he was shot.
The reality is that Tom got off easy. Looking at the history in the South, we see what happened to black men who were accused of raping white women. Many were not afforded the luxury of a kangaroo court, they were simply lynched by a mob. 72 percent of all recorded lynchings were from 1882 to 1968. Rape was the third most common reason for lynchings, behind homicide and "all other crimes." Not only were the men made to suffer, but the black community as a whole suffered. The Rosewood Massacre and the Tulsa Race Riots, where great acts of violence were committed against African-Americans, was sparked by accusations of a black man raping a white woman.
So, historically speaking, we have been believing “victims” and convicting the accused without proof for ages. How has that worked out?
Again, rape is a serious crime. Anyone who claims to have been raped should be given a chance to be heard. However, before we start jailing people and ruining their lives, all that I’m asking for is due diligence. Is that too much to ask for?
