Gary Glitter charged with eight sex offenses

[Kittylady]

I'm so sorry that you went through that Nikki but also so glad that you survived and have come through to be a strong lady and a great lawyer. You are an inspiration who shows what they take from you isn't the final chapter in your life.

[Novice]

This to me is why the majority of victims don't come forward.

When I was a sophomore in college, over Christmas break I went over to my "friend's" house. We were drinking. I didn't realize until much later that I drank a lot more than he did, at his urging. I got drunk passed out. When I kind of came to, everything was hazy and I couldn't really move. He was unzipping my jeans and I was too drunk to stop him. He then raped me. I was too drunk to move, say anything, or stop it. Afterwards he put my pants back on, dropped me off on my front step and left. The next morning I still reeked of alcohol and I remember that my mom asked me "were you drinking??" because I was underage and NEVER drank. She wrote it off as me being a college student and didn't ask me any more questions. I am very close to my mom, but was too humiliated to tell her what happened.

Oddly enough I happened to be taking a class called "Sex Crimes" that semester, that was taught by two District Attorneys who I now try cases against. When the semester began again, I went up to one of them after class and told her what happened. I knew what had happened to me but I asked her if it was rape because I had been drinking. She looked at me and said "you know it was, you need to call the police and report it." I thought about it, but I just couldn't. I didn't want anyone to know what happened, I didn't want anyone to say I deserved it, I was afraid that I would be asked questions about my prior sexual activity, even though I knew from my class that that kind of questioning wasn't permitted. I never told anyone else and he got away with it. I am crying as I type this because almost 15 fucking years later I am still hoping that he didn't do it to anyone else- because if he did I would be partially responsible, as I didn't report him when he did it to me. He COULD have gone away for a long time but I let him get way with it.

And almost 15 years later, I find myself representing people accused of rape, amongst other crimes. It's odd how my own assault never changed my desire to do my current job. I have tried 20-something of these cases to verdict, which is not a lot by trial attorney standards, but is a lot considering I've been practicing less than 10 years. I have seen TOTALLY credible victims who didn't get justice, alleged victims who I was 99.9% were lying through their teeth and men went to prison on their word, I have won cases I should have lost and lost cases I should have won. But I have never, and will never, humiliate or degrade an alleged victim, even if I think they are lying. I will never backdoor in inappropriate questions designed to break a victim down, I will never victim blame, I will never slutshame. The law wouldn't allow me to anyway, but I just wouldn't.

These are nerve-wracking cases to try and I certainly wouldn't want to be a juror on a rape case. The conviction rate is lower because most rape cases involve acquaintances, no witnesses and no physical evidence. Meaning, it can be hard for the ADA to even prove that any sexual act occurred at all. That's the nature of sex cases. But for every case where a true victim is denied justice, I can point to a case where an innocent person is sitting in jail for a crime they didn't commit. Seeing these situations on a daily basis is why so many criminal attorneys are cynical, stressed, and drug and alcohol addicted.

Thank you for sharing Nicki.

[Beeyotch]

See, this is why A*O's mentality doesn't work, and it baffles me that she could see it in such black & white terms. Telling people to just get over it--the shame, humiliation, fear brought on by rape...it's unrealistic and very cold. Yes, it works against their best interest and securing a conviction but those three things are so very powerful. It's very, very difficult to get over that and most humans just don't work like that.

[cheray]

Unfortunately there is quite a large membership in his gang. Rolf harris, Michael Jackson, etc.,

Scum in a wig & a glitter suit.


And no, no-one wants to be a member of your gang Paul Gadd

[A*O]

I'm not saying that AT ALL. My point is that it IS a grey area but as things stand anyone who makes allegations of sexual assault are automatically given the benefit of the doubt and the accused are automatically deemed guilty. Many are guilty but many aren't as Nikki says. And once you've been tainted with that unproven accusation the mud sticks after trial by media.

Of course rape victims shouldn't be expected to "get over it" but if they want justice and closure they have to take back control from their attacker and go to the police. Waiting 40 years to participate in a high profile trial with a celebrity defendant and surrounding media circus is fraught with problems.

Rolf Harris is alleged to have had a long sexual relationship with a friend of his daughters. He says it was consensual and she was over 18. She says it wasn't. Either way Harris wrote to the accusers father (letter produced in court) apologising for his conduct yet the father did nothing about it unto now. What's his role in this? More grey.

As it happens I think Rolf Harris probably does have a case to answer but I'd prefer to let the jury decide his fate, not the Daily Mail. The media whips up this lynch mob mentality where the facts come second to a good headline and it's a toxic atmosphere in which to conduct a serious, objective legal process. I still say the accused are entitled to the protection of anonymity just like their accusers and if they are found Guilty then by all means set the media dogs on them but not before.

[manningmsj]

I have to disagree. I think when the accused is in a position of power, the victim is not given the benefit of the doubt. Because as we've heard with many of these high profile cases, there were victims who tried to come forward and were either not believed or told to keep quiet. I think more often the public and the media assume the victim is after a payout and have very little sympathy, even in the face of overwhelming evidence. It took decades for the Catholic church to address the abuse going on in its parishes. It took a 60 year sentence for many to believe Sandusky was a predator. Many still don't think Michael Jackson was a pedophile. We hear so many stories of celebrities being extorted or threatened with some kind of "exposure" that often it seems the default response when they are accused of wrongdoing is doubt. Especially when they are, like Savile and Sandusky and Jackson, highly respected and beloved.

Not to mention the resources at their disposal, versus the average person. They bring in high-powered attorneys and esteemed colleagues to vouch for them. On top of the trauma of the abuse itself, the fear of going up against someone with so much power has to be incredibly intimidating.

[A*O]

I guess I'm looking at this with my lawyer's head instead of my woman's heart. Let's see what happens.

[manningmsj]

^^^^ I do see your point about trying decades old cases, though. My point was mostly about sexual abuse involving children, which I don't think can be treated like all other crimes. Delayed reporting is so prevalent that I think the majority of crimes would go unpunished if we put a window around them. As far as the anonymity of the accused, I tend to agree. I think information gets out on both ends no matter what, but I don't necessarily agree that the media should be invited in the courtroom. Even if I totally watch.