One perspective I take on the Duke lacrosse case is the one mentioned above (that the players should not have been indicted because there wasn’t enough evidence) - I’m sorry that wasn’t clear.

However, I also think that declaring the Duke lacrosse players innocent is right either. It’s fair to say that there wasn’t enough evidence to sustain a sexual assault conviction. But no one knows exaclty what happened at that house that night and no one ever will.

Thanks for your article reference, it was published after I wrote my post. I hope that it serves as a comfort for some but I doubt that it will.

I appreciate your perspective as the parent of two young women. However, I don’t know that teaching people to avoid putting themselves in a situation where they don’t have control is a perfect solution because in the real world, no one ever has complete control over a situation. The 17 year old, in this case, may have participated in a keg stand for all I know. But maybe someone put something in her drink. Maybe someone gave her a drink and she didn’t know how much alcohol was in it until it was too late. When I was 17, I didn’t know what alcohol tastes like. I don’t know exactly what happened. No one does. But no one is ever in complete control of a situation. I don’t know that this young woman did anything wrong. One can take harm reduction steps - go to a party with a friend who won’t leave without you, keep your hand over your drink at a bar, mix your own drinks. Maybe this young woman took those steps. Who knows?

The problem with this whole conversation is that it puts the whole onus of responsibility on women. A young woman is just as entitled to go out to a party and pound shots as a young man is. For all the Monday morning quarterback-ing people would like to do, when anyone is a victim of a crime, *it is not their fault.* It doesn’t matter if that crime is sexual assault or carjacking or armed robbery. If a friend was the victim of a breaking-and-entering, I wouldn’t say “well, you shouldn’t have (fill in the blank).” It. Is. Not. Their. Fault.

Young women have to live with the responsibility to protect themselves from being raped. There are countless self defense classes women can take, tips women give each other, etc. In school, I was told to look under my car and into my back seats before getting in the driver’s seat. Who is teaching young men not to rape? Why is sexual assault one of the few crimes where the victim has to prove she didn’t deserve or ask for it? People don’t say to carjacking victims, “you must have asked for it.” Why is rape different?

So what view do you take personally?

I note that the NC AG has come out and said that they are innocent.

It would be very valuable to learn the DA’s logic and this certainly is a teachable moment. If nothing else, it would be reassuring to young girls and parents of young girls.

The DA has actually discussed her logic: Carr: Based on the evidence, De Anza case had to be dropped (Note, it is behind a registration screen, but it is free.)

As the parent of young females (both under 20) the case has provided a teachable moment. It reinforces my message to them that they should never put themselves in a situation where they do not control what is going on. Alcohol is bad for self control. Perhaps that is what you were thinking of?