3 ms·
Many victims decline to prosecute to avoid the mental toll the process takes, including having to relive their trauma, having their credibility torn to shreds a
by Geekette 9y ago
Many victims decline to prosecute to avoid the mental toll the process takes, including having to relive their trauma, having their credibility torn to shreds and possibility of the perp being acquitted even in face of compelling evidence. Trying to recover and generally move on with their lives is already hard enough.
- roywiggins 9y agoDepending on the jurisdiction, strictly speaking it's not up to the victim to pursue charges. The prosecutor can bring charges whether the victim wants to or not. In practice if the victim doesn't want to testify there's usually no way to get a conviction so it won't be prosecuted. But the decision lies with the prosecutor. (There are some exceptions- private prosecutions used to be the norm in English common law, but the US largely didn't seem to inherit that portion https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Private_prosecution?wprov=sfla1 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Private_prosecution?wprov=sf... ) http://blogs.findlaw.com/blotter/2015/12/pressing-charges-what-does-it-mean-and-who-does-it.html http://blogs.findlaw.com/blotter/2015/12/pressing-charges-wh...
- at-fates-hands 9y agoIt's a classic he said / she said situation. Based on how he isolates the women, this is exactly the scenario he wants. No witnesses and plenty of time and space to wiggle out of his own culpability if it should arise. His apology speaks volumes about his process