In a system gameable by men, bad (male) actors get away with more sexual assault than they would under a fair system. “Believe all women” leaves the door open for bad (female) actors to make false accusations and ruin innocent lives. (thread - 1/9)
We need and deserve a system that is not gameable by anyone, regardless of gender. 2/9
An end to oppression should not look like a reversal of fortune. Anyone who says or thinks: “Members of group X had it easy for a long time, now it’s our turn to be on top,” is not trying to end oppression. They want power, not equality or justice. 3/9
One thing emerging from campus tribunals, spreading into the popular sphere through mantras like “believe all women,” is that Title IX cases now only require a “preponderance of the evidence” standard, rather than “beyond a reasonable doubt.” This has jarring repercussions. 4/9
The preponderance standard probably makes it easier for women who have been assaulted to come forward. But it also increases the number of innocent men whose lives are torn apart. I prefer a world in which innocents are never wrongly punished. This has nothing to do with sex. 5/9
.@JohnDVillasenor published what I think is the only quantitative analysis of the effect of the “preponderance” standard. He found a dramatic increase in guilty verdicts of innocent men under a “preponderance” standard, compared to “reasonable doubt.” 6/9
academic.oup.com/lpr/article/15…
academic.oup.com/lpr/article/15…
(Aside: I was honored and privileged to meet John when he moderated the Dept of Justice panel I was on recently.) 7/9
Full C-SPAN panel: c-span.org/video/?451488-…
My prepared comments only:
Full C-SPAN panel: c-span.org/video/?451488-…
My prepared comments only:
I want to be able to believe anyone making a claim that they have been injured, because the actually injured can experience further trauma when they are disbelieved. But gameable systems will be gamed. 8/9
There are people of both sexes out there willing to hurt others—for sport or sex, for power or ambition. Let’s not agree to a system that lets them win. /end
