Eastenders Spoilers week beginning 19th January

[maidmarian]

It's certainly naive of Linda (and Mick) but I find it quite touching that she believes justice will be served.

Something similar happened to someone close to me a year or so ago and we knew that with his word against hers there'd be no justice, even though she reported it immediately. The police were sympathetic and tried their very best but the CPS wouldn't prosecute for lack of evidence. As I said in another thread about Linda, at least the fact that my relative reported the rape meant that the scumbag was interrogated by the police, which I hope will give him pause before doing it again.

At least this story's serving to highlight that most rapists are not prosecuted and that lots of victims are called liars, despite the statistics being that a miniscule number of rape reports are malicious.

Very valid point about the CPS and unwillingness
to prosecute. It must really be terrible for
women who have been brave enough to report
a rape to have the matter swept under the carpet.

There should be a further independent check system
before the matter is closed without action or an
appeal system.
Although we are talking about rape here- the
unwillingness of CPS to prosecute also affects
other serious crimes as well.

Regarding Dean - we have been promised justice-
but not of the legal kind. Mick has given him a
beating . But surely must be more to come
before justice is served. Cant think what tho.

[maidmarian]

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[Dazzle]

Regarding Dean - we have been promised justice-
but not of the legal kind. Mick has given him a
beating . But surely must be more to come
before justice is served. Cant think what tho.

Maybe Shirley will come to realise he's lying and will disown him for ever? He loves her and needs her so that'd be extremely painful for him. I think he also needs to admit the rape and be truly remorseful for us to feel any kind of justice has been served.

I'd still much prefer to see him go to prison though.

[tammyy2j]

I think Dean will go on the run, he would be afraid of prison, he seemed scared of it last time around

[parkerman]

Was I the only one who wondered what a rose-tinted world Linda lives in? "Maybe they will pick up Dean"??? No physical evidence of the crime, his word against hers, acknowledgement that he made advances and she said NOTHING to anyone, even when they kissed and her daughter saw her? The defending lawyer would make mincemeat of her on the stand. When you accuse someone of rape - you are a witness and that offers little protection.

That is a bit of a counsel of despair and very depressing. What you're saying is that there is no point in reporting rape and just let the rapist get away with it.
I think Linda is quite right to report it. It has nothing to do with rose tinted spectacles. She's doing it because it's the right thing to do. Otherwise what hope is there for women who are raped?

[Dazzle]

That is a bit of a counsel of despair and very depressing. What you're saying is that there is no point in reporting rape and just let the rapist get away with it.
I think Linda is quite right to report it. It has nothing to do with rose tinted spectacles. She's doing it because it's the right thing to do. Otherwise what hope is there for women who are raped?

I agree that Linda was right to report it but I understand what Chartreuse is getting at. Linda seems to be expecting that Dean will go to prison but the statistics are it's not likely to happen without any evidence - even when reported straight away. Depressing indeed, but realistic.

Also if it went to court she'd likely be painted as a slut who was panting for it, who then cried rape because she was afraid of losing Mick. It's an extremely unpleasant and distressing reality for many, many abused women (and some men).

[Dazzle]

Also if it went to court she'd likely be painted as a slut who was panting for it...

Further to my last post I'd just like to point out that I'd never normally use the misogynistic term "slut" to describe any woman's sexual behaviour as I strongly believe women have as much right to a liberated sex life without society's disapproval as men do. I used the term deliberately to describe how some rape victims are made to feel in the witness box.

[chartreuse]

I did not say not to report it just the idea that he was going to be picked up - she has only taken the first step of a long journey. My post was not advice - everyone must make up their own minds. I, like Dazzle, know that proving the case is very, very hard. Look how they have progressed - accepting the video testimony instead of having to repeat the whole experience on the stand!

[Dazzle]

Look how they have progressed - accepting the video testimony instead of having to repeat the whole experience on the stand!

I'd forgotten about that! Does that happen in every case nowadays? If so it's a vast improvement. I remember only a few years ago watching the news and feeling horrified about what was happening to rape victims in the witness box (even children). I have to hang my head in shame and admit that I don't watch the news religiously nowadays because I find it so depressing.

[chartreuse]

I was also surprised about the video testimony - and hope that it is true. Rape is such a different kettle of fish to any other type of crime. People mistake it for a sex crime when it is a crime of power. When Fran Drescher (best known for her series "The Nanny") was on Howard Stern a caller rang up to tell her that in his opinion the man who raped her loved her more than her husband because he had to have her. How she was able to stay calm and say "you are mistaken" or words to that effect I do not know. She and her husband were tied up - she was raped at gunpoint while they made her husband watch. Truly something you would never wish on your worst enemy!
Then the fact that in the eyes of the law you are not there in role of victim but witness! What a travesty! Then there are the "he said, she said" stories - she was encouraging me, when she said no it was just a to and fro game. Hopefully you do not take vitamin C or the bruises caused may not come up in time to be considered due to the rape. Regretably there are women who cry "rape" when things go wrong. I was sharing a room in my mother´s friends groom - she had a one night stand with a married man (yes in the same room - only a chest of drawers separating our beds!!) He felt guilty and told his wife what he had done so she tried to get me to say it was rape! What she did not know was that I had woken up thinking the radio was still on and raised my head only to see them in the bed - and that she was under no pressure! You can imagine my mother´s friend´s face the next morning when his wife rang and he appeared from our room! These type of women make rape cases even harder.
I was not saying that you should not report rape - simply and only commenting that Linda does not understand if she thinks they will arrest Dean.