I read the original article, and I want to make one thing very clear.
I think that speaking out is a good thing...because it takes away the veil that creeps hide behind, which is “plausible deniability”. Once you actually speak up and say no, and educate and encourage others to speak up and say no if you find yourself in this situation, this veil of plausible deniability disappears.
That being said, by this girls own admission, she went along with it without protesting.....Yes, she did so out of fear. (Honestly, there are stories about JFK that play out exactly the same way....I mean, how do you say no to the POTUS???). But still, it creates a situation where it is IMPOSSIBLE to *prove* that you didn’t consent. I understand that fear can freeze you....but that’s why it is important that we teach everyone to SPEAK UP!! Because if you don’t, we honestly don’t have anything tangible to base the accusation on. I’m not even saying it wasn’t rape....I’m just saying that there is no reasonable universe in which we can PROVE it’s rape unless you speak up!!! If you speak up after the fact, it may help someone in the future....so please, don’t stop speaking up. Don’t think it does nothing just because you can never prove it. Because you can at least teach the next person to be on their guard so that maybe they will speak up. But without saying anything in the moment....you’ve got nothing. I’m not even saying it’s right....it”s just reality.