![]() ![]() Victims may also try to convince themselves an encounter was consensual by maintaining the status quo with their offender. In response to their assault, a victim may decide to continue their relationship with the offender in an effort to regain control after an attack. Ziv also provided testimony on victims distancing themselves from their attackers - another classic rape myth. Belief the attack was a personal matter, andĭr.Reasons victims decide not to report incidents of sexual assault include: Survivors tend to feel re-victimized by the criminal justice system and decide to cope in other ways.Īdditionally, statistics show that reporting is far less likely when a victim has an established relationship with the offender - whether they are intimate partners, former intimate partners, friends, or acquaintances. Ziv, experts in the field explain that it is common for victims to decide not to report attacks to the police in an effort to move past their experience. Ziv testified that it is “very rare” for victims to immediately disclose incidents of assault to those around them and even less common for victims to report the assault to law enforcement, especially when they have been assaulted by someone they actually know. Barbara Ziv, a forensic psychiatrist, to testify on rape myths and explain the complexities of rape trauma to the jury. In the Weinstein case, the prosecution called on Dr. Expert testimony on RTS can help the jury in resolving frequent misconceptions that often stem from social attitudes regarding sexual assault, consent, and culpability. Courts have regularly held that properly admitted expert testimony can be used to provide an explanation for victim behavior which is inconsistent with a claim of rape. Most victims of rape and sexual assault experience some form of RTS. ![]() Rape trauma syndrome (RTS) is a post-traumatic stress disorder - specifically related to sexual assault - that is accompanied by certain physical or psychological responses. Expert testimony can be used to educate the jury on rape trauma syndrome and common rape myths. These presupposed “rape myths” perpetuate false beliefs, namely that victims distance themselves from their attackers following an assault, and that victims report the attack to law enforcement officials. However, the truth is that the reactions of victims can manifest in ways which often seem atypical to those looking from the outside in. There are many commonly believed notions regarding the behaviors of rape and sexual assault victims following an attack. However, expert testimony from psychiatrists in the field can shed light into the complex coping mechanisms of sexual assault victims that counter such a strategy. This tactic was an effort to discredit the victims, and convince the jury that his encounters with his accusers were, in fact, consensual sexual relationships. The defense pointed to “friendly communications” between Weinstein and the women, business meetings, continued employment, and even trips. Currently awaiting sentencing, he faces a minimum sentence of five years and a maximum sentence of 25 years.Īs a central part of their strategy, Weinstein’s defense team argued that several of his accusers continued to remain in contact with him well after their alleged attacks. ![]() Weinstein was acquitted of predatory sexual assault and first degree rape. Ultimately, the jury returned a guilty verdict on two charges - criminal sex act in the first degree and rape in the third degree. Weinstein, who has been accused of sexual assault and harassment by at least 80 women in the past few years, faced several charges including rape, sexual abuse, sexual misconduct, and predatory sexual assault. In January, former Hollywood movie producer Harvey Weinstein faced trial in New York Supreme Court. ![]()
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