強姦案疑犯無罪釋放後,大批婦女貼出內褲照片強調「性感衣著不是抗辯理由」
早前愛爾蘭一名 17 歲少女提告 27 歲男子強姦,被告的辯護律師在庭上表示「你必須看看她的穿著方式,她穿著帶有蕾絲花邊的丁字褲」,以提告人的衣著作為辯護理由。由 8 男 4 女組成的陪審團最後判被告男子無罪,雖然報道沒有列明法庭是否接納以衣著為抗辯理由,但律師的言論也引起了大批民眾不滿,更有當地婦女發起在 Twitter 貼出內褲照片的活動。
據被告描述,當晚他和 17 歲少女在車內接吻,然後在 30 米外的路上發生性行為。少女事後向他表示「你強姦了我」,但被告則認為對方沒有明確拒絕過,而且她在過程中也不曾哭泣,所以這是一場雙方同意的性行為。少女的代表律師就指,她之前從未進行過性交,而且曾提出拒絕。
由於被告最終無罪釋放,引起民眾不滿,今年年初成立的性侵受害者組織「I Believe Her」在網上發起活動,鼓勵婦女貼出內褲照片並加上「#ThisIsNotConsent」標籤,宣揚「性感衣著不等如同意性行為」的理念。
活動得到不少女性響應:
Counsel for man acquitted of rape suggested jurors should reflect on underwear worn by the 17yo complainant. Following this wholly unacceptable comment, we are calling on our followers to post a picture of their thongs/knickers to support her with the hashtag #ThisIsNotConsent pic.twitter.com/ZkVU0GVAIN
— I Believe Her – Ireland (@ibelieveher_ire) November 10, 2018
I hear cameras cut away from me when I displayed this underwear in #Dáil. In courts victims can have their underwear passed around as evidence and it’s within the rules, hence need to display in Dáil. Join protests tomorrow. In Dublin it’s at Spire, 1pm.#dubw #ThisIsNotConsent pic.twitter.com/DvtaJL61qR
— Ruth Coppinger TD (@RuthCoppingerTD) November 13, 2018
This? #thisisnotconsent #Cork #Irelandhttps://t.co/OfurqkNBKJ pic.twitter.com/2JbQD1Rs9G
— Michelle Sullivan (@msullivan) November 13, 2018
Just beacuse my panties are cute doesn’t mean i’m saying yes #ThisIsNotConsent pic.twitter.com/rakf2HXQNv
— Em (@lilthumper408) November 13, 2018
Jurors in Cork were asked to consider the underwear a SEVENTEEN YEAR OLD GIRL was wearing when she was raped by a 27-year-old man.
Join the cause in solidarity, can’t believe this girl was subjected to these comments after such a traumatic event.#ThisIsNotConsent #Ibelieveher pic.twitter.com/PfkYERulgY
— Courtney Peterson (@_courtneymaria) November 13, 2018
一個人的衣著,甚至是內衣褲的款式也不應被視為「遭強姦的原因」,這點是毋庸置疑的。不過男女交往時,同意或拒絕的界線有時又真的難以說清,這也是現時不少人爭議的地方。另一方面,雖然法庭未有公佈下判決的理由,而最終被告已在法律上獲判無罪,但在反性侵思潮下,仍要面對群眾壓力,又有誰為他抱不平呢?
延伸閱讀:
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via Buzzfeed