I WATCHED A MINI-SERIES ON NETFLIX LAST WEEK ENTITLED UNBELIEVABLE. IT DEALT WITH SEXUAL ASSAULT OF WOMEN BY A SERIAL RAPIST. THE FIRST CASE THEY DETAILED WAS OF A YOUNG WOMAN WHO HAD BEEN IN AND OUT OF FOSTER CARE AND WAS STRUGLING TO MAKE IT ON HER OWN. THIS CASE WAS INVESTIGATED BY MALE OFFICERS AND DECTECTIVES. AFTER HAVING TO GO INTO DETAIL ABOUT THE RAPE TO BOTH AN OFFICER AND THEN A DECTECTIVE, SHE WAS SENT TO THE HOSPITAL TO DO A RAPE TEST AND BE PHOTOGRAPHED AND SWABBED FOR EVIDENCE ALL OVER HER BODY. AT LEAST THIS WAS BY A WOMAN DOCTOR AND FORENSIC SPECIALIST. IT WASN'T THAT THE POLICE WEREN'T CARING, BUT THEY LACKED EMPATHY TOWARD THE FEMALE VICTIM. THE WHOLE PROCESS WAS LIKE BEING ASSAULTED AGAIN. THE OTHER CASES WERE INVESTIGATED BY 2 WOMEN DECTECTIVES FROM DIFFERENT DISTRICTS WHO TEAMED UP WHEN IT BECAME OBVIOUS THAT IT WAS A SERIAL RAPIST. THE EMPATHY THAT THEY SHOWED TOWARD THE VICTIMS MADE THE WHOLE PROCESS LESS EMOTIONALLY PAINFUL. THE 1ST WOMAN WAS DRIVEN TO THE BRINK OF SUICIDE BECAUSE SOME OF HER TESTIMONY WAS CONFLICTING AND THE DECTECTIVES CAME TO BELIEVE SHE WAS JUST SEEKING ATTENTION.

OBVIOUSLY THE SHOW WAS FICTION, BUT I BELIEVE THAT WOMEN VICTIMS ARE MARGINALIZED TO THE POINT THAT NOT REPORTING SEXUAL ASSAULT IS EASIER TO BEAR, THAN BEING ASSAULTED BY AN UNCARING SYSTEM.  IN A LOT OF CASES  THE SOCIAL STIGMA OF SEXUAL ASSAULT IS THAT SHE BROUGHT IT ON HERSELF.

UNTIL NEXT TIME

PLEASE STAY SAFE

THE BEGGAR'S APPRENTICE