Discussion List for campus-based and allied personnel working to end gender-based violence on campus.

["Juliette Grimmett" <>]

The other piece to that is that we, as advocates and the ones working in
these organizations, are the ones that I believe are absolutely
responsible in stepping up when these cases occur.  Although I can
understand what Wendy is saying, particularly that it makes the battle
more difficult to fight, I do not believe that we can ever judge how a
survivor chooses to have some sense of peace.  For some, accepting a
payoff may be the only indication they receive that they were believed. 
With the way the criminal justice system (fed by a victim-blaming
culture) works, they are very likely not going to receive much support
there, and most people are aware of that.  I don't think many, if any,
survivors feel that a payoff takes away their pain and suffering.  I
would imagine that it is more about how much on-going criminal justice
BS (continuance, continuance, new hearing, etc.) they are
physically/emotionally willing to deal with combined with what will give
them some sense of peace/validation.  

As it stands today, so many survivors feel it is their job to
investigate their own cases.  I have spoken with hundreds of survivors
that chose not to report their case because they didn't think there was
any evidence - we never see this sense of investigative responsibility
with any other crimes.  I think we send a very dangerous message if we
also imply that they are the ones responsible for speaking out against
the final decision, or as it was put " allow high profile cases falsely
to be characterized as false claims."  That is our job.  A survivor's
job is to live.

Juliette

Juliette Grimmett
Rape Prevention Education Coordinator
NC State University
Women's Center
3120 Talley Student Center
Campus BOX 7306
Raleigh, NC 27695-7306
Office: (919) 513-3232
24 Hour Sexual Violence Hotline: (919)618-RAPE (7273)
Fax: (919) 515-1066
email: 

website: http://www.ncsu.edu/womens_center


>>> "Giese, Carrie" 
>>> <>
>>>  4/25/2007 4:00 PM
>>>
I am concerned with saying that any survivors "victims" deserve
criticism...no matter what choices he/she makes about accepting a
payoff
or "allowing" high profile cases to falsely characterized as false
claims. Who are we to judge the choices that a survivor makes in the
process of healing.  If we do not unconditionally support
survivors....who is going to?

Sincerely,
Carrie Giese



-----Original Message-----
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Sent: Wednesday, April 25, 2007 12:46 PM
To: 
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Subject: Re: SAPC Digest, Vol 727, Issue 2

it should not go unsaid that when victims take payoffs and allow high
profile cases falsely to be characterized as false claims - the effort
to fight historic and entrenched ideas about women as liars is a much
tougher battle.  Such victims deserve criticism.

wendy murphy
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