Don't Make Assumptions About What True Sexual Abuse Claims Should Sound Like

     The fact that a sexual abuse accuser did not come forward about sexual abuse earlier, is not proof that the abuse didn’t happen. They may have waited, due to confusion about what happened, or due to a feeling of duty to protect the person from consequences, and/or fear of outing the person for the sake of the accuser's own safety.

     The fact that an accuser seems inconsistent about their claims, is not proof that they are inconsistent. Don’t make assumptions about what true claims of sexual abuse or rape "should" sound like or look like; instead, ask the accuser clarifying questions.

     The fact that an accuser is not always around the accused person, is not proof that the abuse couldn’t have happened because the accuser was never around the accused person. That’s not the same thing.

     The fact that an accuser continues to associate with their abuser, is not proof that the accuser isn’t afraid of that person. They may be associating with the abuser out of feelings of duty, guilt, shame, bribery, manipulation, or brainwashing, or all of the above.

     The fact that an accuser can’t remember all the details of the abuse, is not proof that it didn’t happen. Traumatic incidents - especially those that happen very quickly - are easy to partially (or completely) forget.

     But at the same time, the fact that an accuser can remember all the details of the abuse, is also not necessarily proof that they’re making it up. The fact that many victims don’t fully remember the abuse, does not mean that no accusers will have full memories of what happened to them. That's not the same thing.

     Not everything is the way it seems, the instant that we look at it. The difference between "never" and "rarely" - and the difference between "doesn't" and "doesn't necessarily" - should not be underestimated.
     Please keep these facts in mind when evaluating the veracity of claims that sexual molestation and rape have occurred.

Written on June 18th, 2021

after studying the claims against Michael Jackson

Published on June 18th, 2021