A rape victim was shamed for wearing a thong, so women are tweeting photos of their underwear in protest
Despite the recent strides made by movements like #MeToo and Time’s Up, rape and sexual assault survivors continue to be doubted, belittled, and harassed for coming forward. And after one 17-year-old rape survivor was shamed for her choice of underwear the night of her alleged attack, women are calling out victim-blaming by sharing photos of their underwear with the hashtag #ThisIsNotConsent.
According to the Irish Examiner, defense attorney Elizabeth O’Connell noted the plaintiff’s choice of underwear in her closing statements, implying that she was looking for a sexual encounter the night of her alleged attack.
"Does the evidence out-rule the possibility that she was attracted to the defendant and was open to meeting someone and being with someone?" O'Connell asked the jury, per the Examiner. "You have to look at the way she was dressed. She was wearing a thong with a lace front."
The jury found the man not guilty of rape after an hour and a half of deliberation. After the court’s decision, outrage spread across Ireland. According to the Irish Independent, on November 7th, Noeline Blackwell, the head of Dublin’s Rape Crisis Centre, demanded legal reforms. She told the newspaper that these kinds of statements are frequently made in court.
"These kind of mythologies and stereotypes around rape come up again and again in court cases, because the defense to rape is that the sex was consensual," she told the Irish Independent. "So anything the defendant can do to suggest there was consent will be used."
Twitter users shared their disgust at O’Connell’s words with the hashtag #ThisIsNotConsent.
Disgusted with the cork rape trial, I wear thongs every single day, THONGS ARE UNDERWEAR, victim-blaming needs to stop, how are people going to learn about consent when courts are letting men away with rape because of fucking pants? #ThisIsNotConsent
— Shannon (@shannonxx0204) November 15, 2018
Thongs DO NOT cause rape.
Short skirts DO NOT cause rape.
RAPISTS cause rape! #ThisIsNotConsent pic.twitter.com/4PbAR2hIDh— Cllr Sharon Tolan (@sharontolan) November 13, 2018
i have literally worn a thong since maybe first year high school ? and many other girls i know have done the same & to think that it is considered ‘consent’ because of the style is sickening #ThisIsNotConsent
— ellis (@ellispeacock_) November 15, 2018
Lace front, no front, crotchless, granny pants, boxer briefs, thong, old underwear, no underwear. It doesn't matter. Undergarments don't determine your sexual interest in someone. We wear underwear for ourselves, not for the pleasure of others #ThisIsNotConsent
— Amber (@ambasaurx) November 15, 2018
false
Some added pictures of their own underwear.
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
false
Just beacuse my panties are cute doesn't mean i'm saying yes #ThisIsNotConsent pic.twitter.com/rakf2HXQNv
— Em (@lilthumper408) November 13, 2018
A 17 year old girl was essentially told she was ‘asking for it’ because she was wearing a lace thong!!! in solidarity with her, here is mine! I like nice underwear without knicker lines, how the bollocks does that make me fancy being raped! https://t.co/59Kvo0dsQZ #nomeansno pic.twitter.com/vSTre8tLm3
— Emma Kenny (@emmakennytv) November 10, 2018
BuzzFeed News reports that Irish women also protested the decision in person on November 14th.
Some of the signs from today’s march against rape culture in Cork……@RosaWomen #Cork pic.twitter.com/UtiGe8GxcM
— Anna Heverin (@annaheverin) November 14, 2018
Hundreds march through #Cork city to the courthouse where a 17-year old’s underwear was used by the defence barrister when addressing the jury in a rape trial #thisisnotconsent pic.twitter.com/4yqGcW6XPG
— Fiona Corcoran (@fiona96fmnews) November 14, 2018
Well done to the protestors in Ireland #ThisIsNotConsent pic.twitter.com/Kj7iWDXBhl
— 💧 Lady Louisa (@IouisaLouisa) November 15, 2018
It’s downright absurd to suggest that someone’s underwear proves consent—or anything other than underwear preference—and we honestly can’t believe we’re fighting this dangerous misconception in 2018. We’re so proud of every single person standing up for the victim (and basic human decency) in this case.
