The verdict says as much about our failure to recognize the most pernicious impacts of abuse as it does about the strategy of the prosecution in the case.
Unfortunately, most men and women have no understanding of the effects abuse has on victims. Jury instructions in cases involving sexual abuse need to include clearly stated descriptions of how easily victims can be cowed into apparent, but truly not, willing participation. Simply put, without careful instruction, the average juror is just not qualified to evaluate the mental or emotional states of victims of sexual abuse.
So many people claim “trauma” these days, especially on social media. “I have PTSD from…”, “OMG I was totally traumatized by that…”, “Oh it’s my ancestral trauma triggering me”. And yet, they do not understand the effect of trauma on the nervous system and what complex trauma actually looks like. Like so many things in this day and age, I am disgusted but not surprised by the verdict. I do not blame the prosecutor. And it was a stretch for a jury of 12, most of whom are probably unfamiliar with trauma and its effects, to understand the distinctions in question here.
You can't divine what was in the hearts and minds of the these victims. So you are left with the transactional realities of the case. It's the old casting couch mentality on the part of Mr. Combs but, unlike with Harvey Weinstein who victimized unwitting women, these victims had ongoing romantic relationships with the defendant. They both professed to love him and wanted to please him so where is the line drawn between doing something you don't enjoy and illegal coercion? As abusive a person as Mr. Combs is, I think the jury got it right. These women got something out of the relationship--Mr. Combs' "love", career opportunities, rent money--and they weren't jumped, prevented from leaving or stealthily drugged into submission. Mr. Combs is a perverse, abusive person but a RICO guy, no. Not even a Weinstein or a Cosby.
Janete, I agree with you absolutely. Men like Combs create the circumstances of abuse, violence and victimization that then allows them to easily FORCE women to do their bidding. And I’m tired of them getting away with it. I wish I had been on that jury. The other 11 jurors would have been shouting
Unfortunately, most men and women have no understanding of the effects abuse has on victims. Jury instructions in cases involving sexual abuse need to include clearly stated descriptions of how easily victims can be cowed into apparent, but truly not, willing participation. Simply put, without careful instruction, the average juror is just not qualified to evaluate the mental or emotional states of victims of sexual abuse.
So many people claim “trauma” these days, especially on social media. “I have PTSD from…”, “OMG I was totally traumatized by that…”, “Oh it’s my ancestral trauma triggering me”. And yet, they do not understand the effect of trauma on the nervous system and what complex trauma actually looks like. Like so many things in this day and age, I am disgusted but not surprised by the verdict. I do not blame the prosecutor. And it was a stretch for a jury of 12, most of whom are probably unfamiliar with trauma and its effects, to understand the distinctions in question here.
It reinforces that women are second class citizens.
You can't divine what was in the hearts and minds of the these victims. So you are left with the transactional realities of the case. It's the old casting couch mentality on the part of Mr. Combs but, unlike with Harvey Weinstein who victimized unwitting women, these victims had ongoing romantic relationships with the defendant. They both professed to love him and wanted to please him so where is the line drawn between doing something you don't enjoy and illegal coercion? As abusive a person as Mr. Combs is, I think the jury got it right. These women got something out of the relationship--Mr. Combs' "love", career opportunities, rent money--and they weren't jumped, prevented from leaving or stealthily drugged into submission. Mr. Combs is a perverse, abusive person but a RICO guy, no. Not even a Weinstein or a Cosby.
Not prevented from leaving? Ventura was beaten and kicked by Combs as she attempted to leave. Did you not see the video?
Janete, I agree with you absolutely. Men like Combs create the circumstances of abuse, violence and victimization that then allows them to easily FORCE women to do their bidding. And I’m tired of them getting away with it. I wish I had been on that jury. The other 11 jurors would have been shouting
“Guilty Hallelujah!!!”
On All Counts.