Trigger warning: This article contains information about violence which may be triggering to survivors.
Following Justice William Horkins’ not guilty verdict in the Jian Ghomeshi trial on Thursday, social media sites across the web lit up with the hashtag #IBelieveSurvivors.
Lead by politicians, feminists, advocacy groups and women across the country tweeting about their own experiences of reporting sexual assault, the hashtag brings up the problems around victim shaming and women reporting sexual assault allegations to police. But more importantly, as many point out, it’s the ongoing conversation about believing women.
Canada’s New Democrats Party leader Tom Mulclair wrote a post on Medium on Thursday, stating not only is sexual assault a crime, but it’s a crime this is “seldom reported and that leads even less frequently to a conviction.”
“This must change and we can all be part of changing this unacceptable reality,” he wrote. “I believe we need to strengthen protections for survivors of sexual assault. I believe that access to comprehensive support services for survivors should be a right. And most importantly, I believe survivors.
Other politicians also sent their support to survivors.
Today, and every day, #IBelieveSurvivors. https://t.co/46BDwG99vi— Tom Mulcair (@ThomasMulcair) March 24, 2016
I believe survivors. My statement: https://t.co/UsYEsh4B5G #IBelieveSurvivors #onpoli— Andrea Horwath (@AndreaHorwath) March 24, 2016
Journalist and co-creator of #BeenRapedNeverReported Antonia Zerbisias tweeted we need conversation now more than ever.
Verdict aside the #Ghomeshi trial has confirmed for me that Canada’s criminal + legal system is bias against sexual assault survivors.— Kristyn Wong-Tam (@kristynwongtam) March 24, 2016
We need this conversation more than ever. IMO, this case sets back 20 years of struggle. #Ghomeshi #vaw #beenrapedneverreported— Antonia Zerbisias (@AntoniaZ) March 24, 2016
The former CBC host faced five charges: four counts of sexual assault and one count of overcoming resistance by choking. He pleaded not guilty to all five charges against him in 2015.
Ghomeshi also faces another sexual assault charge filed by another complainant and a separate trial will hear that case in June.
With files from Zi-Ann Lum and Bria John — This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.
Source: Huffingtonpost
