I think when we talk about role reversal situation this is important. Sexual assaults happen in a social context. If a woman did to a man what my attacker did to me, that man would be less likely to suffer professional consequences (like loss of respect, ehich eas my biggest fear) or a fear for his immediate phyiscal…

Yeah, fair point. I try to avoid naming specific names in the press unless asked, in part because I want people to understand that these problems are institutional, not issues of individual bad actors, and in part because I don’t want them scapegoated. Carpenter seems like a well-intentioned guy who does care about…

This is so true (“you don’t lnow Seth Williams”)—I think people from outside of Philadelphia don’t necessarily understand that although it’s a major city and has had some high-profile events recently (Pope, DNC), we operate as a relatively parochial network of neighborhoods rather than a cosmopolitan metropolis. It…

What’s interesting is that there are witnesses. Not to the crime itself (impossible to witness unless the person was already wedged in my cleavage and could watch what this dickwad did from that vantage), but to my immediate and violent reaction to what he did to me.

ADA Carpenter. Yes, alcohol was originally the primary reason given to me for non-prosecution (they gave additional reasons after press inquiries started, but alcohol was still the central reason).

Actually I honestly think this is the best way to explain what happened. They kept referring to me being in school at U. Penn (I’m finishing up a Masters there doing weekend classes) and I think they thought I was just some undergrad student naive enough to accept that explanation and go away.

Starring not because I agree with the defense, but because mens rea was a big part of the DA office’s argument to me in person and I think this is useful for the conversation.

By the way, it’s been very helpful and interesting reading through your analysis of the law, because it contextualizes what I’m hearing from the DA’s office a little more.

Well. I’m the victim.

Hey, thanks. People, even anonymous internet people have generally been, if not always understanding, at least civil so far, which has been a welcome surprise.

They seriously did actually have the gall to ask me what I was wearing during the assault when I went into the DA’s office yesterday. That was part of their “investigation of the investigation,” I guess.

<3

Thanks, dude. People telling me I’m not crazy and that it’s worth the fight are the only thing getting me through this.

Thank you, Stassa.

Of course it’s going to be unsatisfying. When someone is sexually assaulted, you aim for healing and support, not satisfaction.

I do have sympathy for the argument that however unlikely it is to actually happen, it’s unwise to imtroduce policies that could even hypothetically be used to undermine the democratic political process.

That’s really helpful feedback, thank you.

Saying suspicion of sexual misconduct is grounds for replacement is different from saying suspicion or accusation necessarily will result in replacement. For instance, the overarching policy could be that a rep for each candidate gets to review the facts, and if either feels the accusation is politically motivated,…

Yeah, I was hesitant. There were a bunch of reasons, really, although they weren’t necessarily organized or fully thought out. I was in shock and not in a linear thinking frame of mind.

What the DNC needs to do here is pretty simple. It needs to: