Rape social media posts: How speaking out got twin sisters sued[TW]

[SerendipityJane]

www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-56173394

Two sisters say they’ve been silenced by the man they reported for sexual assault after he sued them for talking about what happened.

Twins Verity and Lucy named the man in allegations on social media after police dropped their cases. He denies the accusations and sought a court order to hide his identity.

Verity, Lucy and the man agreed to a settlement that lets the sisters share their experience as long as he isn’t identified.

Several campaign groups have raised concerns over rape prosecutions being at an all-time low but the Ministry of Justice says everything will be done to bring offenders to justice.

The MoJ has also reiterated that defamation laws contain the checks and balances to make sure only cases are pursued when it’s appropriate.

I can't bear that kind of smug deflection from the MoJ. '[we're satisfied that] only cases are pursued when it's appropriate'. It goes along with, 'lessons have been learned' as a representation of the authorities protecting those who are already powerful. Anyone who can take someone to court and spin it out long enough that the defendants bill could reach £100k has power and resources.

I don't see how the evidence of first person accounts from two people with identical experiences fails to reach the threshold of the CPS to bring charges. I wonder what kind of power or friends in high places the alleged perpetrator has that they haven't gone after him. What other evidence has someone who has been sexually abused as a minor have apart from their witness statements? Are we therefore saying that child sexual abuse is an unprosecutable crime?

But then to silence them using superior financial resources is a reinforcement of the original abuse. It makes me so angry. I've contributed to their just giving account, to fund The Gemini Project that campaigns to end sexual violence as I feel powerless to do much else. I wish it had been publicised at the time so we could have crowdfunded their legal proceedings.