The Presumption of Innocence
The shocking defence of Russell Brand
I published this article here because I didn’t’ think it would be published mainstream, looks like I was mistaken
I’ve been quite obsessed with the response to this issue because it has genuinely shocked me.
Kit and I also covered it on the dollhouse
Sometimes something takes our interest without much reason but for me I genuinely think we are seeing a degeneration of respect for women in mainstream discourse with the boldness with which people are accusing, what looks to be dozens of women, with lying about experiences when it is so obvious the man is morally reprehensible.
I hope this is my last word for now and I’ll get back to gender woo, but I can’t guarantee it.
Cheers,
Edie
Another good article. I was not surprised at Carl Benjamin’s take, but I expected more of Kissin. It seems to me that he’s the one who doesn’t understand the concept of innocent until proven guilty. Demanding that women can only speak of their experiences after a man has been tried and found guilty, or during a harrowing court case, is ludicrous. It seems their free speech commitments go out the window pretty quickly.
I truly believe men just can’t get it. Not really. But the women who are sure he’s innocent and being persecuted are more disappointing to me. I think Louise Perry is right that it’s framed as a legal issue always because we’ve lost the vocabulary to discuss sexual predators any other way. Which invites taking sides in an adversarial framework. Women need to be warned about the Bluebeards because they are often extremely seductive and charming in person. A girl can see the signs but ignore them because he’s not evil. The emotional damage of sexual abuse is not obvious and it’s coated in shame. Especially when you really liked him and he made you feel used and violated. Anyway, the men (and women) calling for innocent until guilty aren’t extending the same good faith witholding of judgement to the women, just like they were very quick to call Amber Heard a liar. Why assume they are guilty of defaming him to ‘bring him down’. Where is their presumption of innocence?