Recommended Read: Talking to a Lawyer Who Defends Rapists

Photo by Robert Hickerson.

I'm just going to say it: there are times when I wish that we could just lock up rapists without a trial. I know, I know, it's a very very very important human right and everyone should have a fair trial for anything they are accused of and we need to prove allegations before we ruin (more) people's lives. It's just a little frustrating to know how many people get away with terrible acts because of clever legal maneuvering and biased courts and the patriarchy in general and the extreme difficulty of proving assault beyond a reasonable doubt.

So I'm always interested in better understanding the other side, and that's why I highly recommend giving this Vice article interviewing a lawyer who defends rapists a read.

He talks about the value of testing the evidence, even if he believes his client is guilty, the fact that not being proven guilty is different from being proven innocent, and his feeling that, while this might not be the kindest way to go about things, it is the only reasonable way to do it.

I don't like all of it. Some of what he says feels icky, but it is good to step into his perspective for a moment.


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