Thread by @MFWitches

Yesterday, we did a 🧵 on one of the biggest distortions of truth in the #NewsCorpse hit piece on @BrittHiggins_ yesterday.

Today, we’re going to do another thread.

Strap in.

1/13

We’re going to address the statements and implications in the piece (2 are included below, but there are more) that because Brittany initially:

- behaved as if she were embarrassed;

- said she wasn’t going to make a complaint to police;

- sent Reynolds flowers; and

2/13

- didn’t initially refer to what happened to her as a rape;

that it would suggest she was lying about what happened.

This kind of shit happens to women all the fucking time and it’s disgusting.

For the record, women who’ve been raped are in a trauma crisis.

3/13

They might do some or all of the following:

- feel unable to accept they’ve been assaulted, even to the point of denying it happened;

- not want to make a police report & even destroy evidence;

- not want to discuss the assault & be unable to even say the word “rape”;

4/13

- feel guilty and embarrassed about what’s happened, because they initially blame themselves;

- feel grateful for any crumbs of humanity they get from others over the incident, however small; and/or

- not know how to ask for what they need or articulate anything much.

5/13

So the #NewsCorpse claim that because Brittany wasn’t immediately & enthusiastically telling people she was raped & demanding all sorts of action take place means she wasn’t raped is outrageous nonsense.

Further, claiming Brittany wasn’t raped because she sent her boss …

6/13

… flowers is fucking shameful.

Albrechtsen is unfit to work in the media (particularly in any area where she reports on women’s issues).

FWIW, the writer of this tweet thread has been raped twice. Many years later, I still find it almost impossible to talk about.

7/13

I still find it almost impossible to use the words “rape” in relation to myself, because it’s almost impossible to accept that this happened to me and I wasn’t to blame.

After my second rape, I spent over a week NOT telling anyone (even though this meant I destroyed any …

8/13

… chance of a conviction), because I was wearing a skirt 2 inches above my knee when it happened so thought I must have been to blame.

And this was some years after I started writing on victim blaming and rape culture so KNEW I wasn’t at fault.

This is NORMAL behaviour.

9/13

Brittany had so much to deal with.

This issue involved her job and relationships with colleagues and bosses as well as other matters.

She would’ve also instinctively felt responsible for the alleged crime because she willingly went to Parlt House with the alleged perp.

10/13

And for having too much to drink that night.

Women are NEVER to blame for rape even if drunk or in the wrong place.

Yet all over social media, Brittany is STILL constantly attacked for going to PH with the alleged perp and for drinking that night.

It’s fucked.

11/13

Rape culture is so strong and entrenched that the thoughts women have after they’re raped are incredibly confusing and difficult to interpret.

Self-blame is endemic.

And these feelings come on top of trauma, which makes them even more difficult to make sense of.

12/13

For Murdoch to use these absolutely natural emotions & actions to deliberately cast doubt on a person’s truth for profit continues to be the act of an evil, disgusting human.

We have to stop him.

We also have to stop the @AusFedPolice from working with him to harm women.

Ends.

PS: My 2nd rape still has major negative implications on my life 9 years later, as the perp was someone known in my family & I’ve never been forgiven for naming him as a rapist and the aftermath of that.

If you think any woman names a rapist lightly you’re fucking dreaming.