Today we’re going to talk about why survivors sometimes stay in contact with their perpetrators, or praise them.
thread 👇🏻
#WeBelieveTaraReade
thread 👇🏻
#WeBelieveTaraReade
It’s important to note that survivors of sexual violence are not a monolith, and each survivor has the right to handle their experience in whatever way works best for them. If you need support, here is a list of resources: nsvrc.org/sites/default/…
First, let’s get to the root of this misconception. Why do people think that a survivor who contacts their perpetrator or praises them is no longer credible? This is what is called a rape myth.
Rape myths are prejudicial, stereotyped and false beliefs about sexual assaults, rapists, and rape victims (via @Wikipedia). These myths are ‘widely held societal beliefs that are contradicted by statistical evidence and emerging research.’
This particular issue is caused in part by the myth that most rapes are committed by strangers. The fact is that in 8 out of 10 cases of rape, the victim knew the perpetrator (via @NSVRC). nsvrc.org/statistics
This is just one example of a rape myth among many, and they are all used to discredit/shame survivors in different ways. For additional reading, check out out @ACESDV’s list of common rape myths: acesdv.org/about-sexual-d… 
When the defense team for Harvey Weinstein used emails from his victims to discredit them, they capitalized on this rape myth to make their case.
variety.com/2020/biz/news/…
variety.com/2020/biz/news/…
This is the exact same tactic used against Tara Reade when people ask why she previously praised Joe Biden.
Barbara Ziv is a forensic psychiatrist & expert witness who testified in both the Cosby & Weinstein trials. Her testimony on this issue offers valuable insight on why it is damaging & unfair to discredit survivors on these grounds. variety.com/2020/biz/news/…
“There is always a worry of the victim that the perpetrator can ruin their life,” Ziv said, adding that this concern can scare victims “even more profoundly than being sexually assaulted.” variety.com/2020/biz/news/…
“I don’t want this individual who sexually assaulted me to ruin my reputation, to tell people, to ruin my job opportunities...I can handle this physical trauma, but god forbid they ruin the rest of my life.” variety.com/2020/biz/news/…
“They can’t believe that this happened to them...they’re hoping that [it] is just an aberration,” Ziv said. “The victim will [tell themselves], ‘Yes, they did this horrible thing, but look at all of these other really good things that they’ve done.'” variety.com/2020/biz/news/…
When people ask why Tara Reade previously voted for Biden when he ran for VP or praised his work on the Violence Against Women Act, this is a conscious attempt to discredit her that relies on rape myths.
When rape myths are dispelled, these attacks are revealed for what they are: meaningless attempts to discredit survivors and uphold rape culture. These attacks have no bearing on the veracity of Tara Reade’s credible allegation against Joe Biden.
Once more for the people in the back: who Tara Reade voted for in 2008 has absolutely NO BEARING on either her credibility or the credibility of her allegation against Joe Biden.
The expectation that Tara Reade should have come forward sooner completely ignores the larger cultural context. Biden was VP from January 20, 2009 until January 20, 2017, BEFORE #MeToo went viral.
It is important to note that #MeToo was originally started by @TaranaBurke in 2006, more than 10 years before the tweet from Alyssa Milano went viral. theguardian.com/culture/2017/d…
This is precisely why we included a timeline on our website: taratruth.com/history/
Thank you for reading. If you found this thread informative or useful, consider sharing it with someone who would benefit from it. The more work we put in to dismantle rape myths, the less powerful they become. #WeBelieveTaraReade #MeTooNotPolitics
For additional context on this issue, take a look at the #WhyIStayed hashtag created by @bevtgooden
