Response to Madeline's its always been this way, this sliming of the victim.
IMO, its always been this way is the least defensible reason for anything.
First, speaking as a historian, very little has always been this way about anything. Thirty odd years ago victims' families had precious few rights...not VISs, nor to be informed nor to be included. Victim rights advocates had to fight for those rights. They wouldn't have won if the public hadn't backed them.
They had public opinion on their side because the public believed it was wrong and misguided to have a system that pretended only the dead or the severely harmed had been victimized.
And that is where we are now. It is wrong, imo, to allow DT's a carte blance right to present any defense, even one based on lies, especially if those lies traumatize and re-victimize surviving loved ones.
Lies and unsubstantiated accusations have no place in a court of law. That its been that way forever just means its past time for it to stop.
IMO, its always been this way is the least defensible reason for anything.
First, speaking as a historian, very little has always been this way about anything. Thirty odd years ago victims' families had precious few rights...not VISs, nor to be informed nor to be included. Victim rights advocates had to fight for those rights. They wouldn't have won if the public hadn't backed them.
They had public opinion on their side because the public believed it was wrong and misguided to have a system that pretended only the dead or the severely harmed had been victimized.
And that is where we are now. It is wrong, imo, to allow DT's a carte blance right to present any defense, even one based on lies, especially if those lies traumatize and re-victimize surviving loved ones.
Lies and unsubstantiated accusations have no place in a court of law. That its been that way forever just means its past time for it to stop.