Thread by @R_Denhollander

Hymen injuries after found in less than 3% of childhood sexual assault cases. Mr. Bevin's position is horrendously inaccurate and literally dangerous. Let's look at reality:

courier-journal.com/story/news/pol…

Only 2 to 8 percent of childhood sexual assault allegations are false. A false report is extremely rare.

Out of the 92 to 98 percent of TRUE allegations, hymen injuries are present in less than 3 percent.

Out of every 300 rapes reported to police, only approx 7 get charges, 6 get convictions, 5 get jail time.

It's incredibly hard to get detectives and prosecutors to try these cases. Hundreds of thousands of rape test kits never even get run because no one cares.

So for this child to report, get a conviction for rape and sodomy, and get jail time, is like getting struck by lightning. Statistically an anomaly.

What did is take to get there?

This little girl had to verbalize and describe rape and sodomy, in detail, to investigators. Then prosecutors. Then she had to describe it in detail in court, filled with people she didn't know, with her abuser sitting in the room, knowing he derived sexual pleasure from her.

Knowing he shares the same memories, and she's giving him the details he craves.

She had to go into stirrups, as a child, for a pelvic exam. After being forcibly sodomized and raped.

She lost her childhood not just from the abuse, but from the constant reliving of it for years, as they pursued justice. Over and over again, she remained at the mercy of the courts and her abuser's attempts to wield control through it.

After all this, just as it was supposed to be finished and she could begin the long road of healing, she learns it was all for nothing. And not just for nothing. Choosing top pursue justice actually harmed her.

Not only was her violent rapist pardoned on completely uneducated, false grounds, the governor of the state publicly accused her of lying. And her mom.

He attacked her character and integrity in a story that had now gone national. She's 16.

Then the governor leaks information in this now national news story, that helps identify her. Her identity, which was supposed to be protected, is weaponized. Because she spoke up.

And it doesn't stop there. Because now the governor has made her genitals a national conversation piece.

She's 16. She's trying to go to school, she's trying to heal, and she has to read news stories about her genitals and what was done to them.

It's not just that the governor let a violent rapist back out, though that's dangerous enough.

It's not just that he spewed completely untrue rape myths into a national dialogue, though that's bad enough.

He attacked, vilified and publicly shamed a teenager and her mother. He took steps that removed her protection and exposed her again.

That's rape culture.

And it's horrific.

And tonight, that young lady is paying the price again. All because she spoke up.

Tonight victims are watching and saying "there is no hope". I know they are. Because they have said it to me.

Tonight, predators and enablers agree empowered.

Tonight, resolve you will do everything you can to change it. No more.

And, of course, I meant *are* in the first tweet, not *after* 🙄