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ENTITY Mag discusses false sexual assault accusations

With the rising popularity of the Time’s Up Movement, it is clear that our society has become increasingly aware of and sensitive towards our sexual assault crisis. This country is trying to make sense of and have a conversation about sexual assault in order to mend wounds and allow victims to heal. More survivors of sexual assault have found the courage to come forward, and are protected as well as fought for.

But when those victims turn out to be the victimizers through false sexual assault accusations, they are being destructive on multiple levels.

The recent case of Sherita Dixon-Cole

ENTITY Mag discusses false sexual assault accusations

Medium.com

Sherita Dixon-Cole, a Texas woman, accused a police officer of sexually assaulting and violently threatening her while she was in custody. Her story quickly went viral, but when the footage of the police officer’s body camera later revealed that Dixon-Cole’s claims were false it was upsetting for several different reasons.

1 The innocent accused

During a time when this country is trying to deal with a police brutality crisis, it is even more appalling to discover that Dixon-Cole was willing to destroy the life of an innocent police officer with her lie.

Protests across the country challenging police brutality against unarmed black teenagers highlight that this nation is facing an endemic problem of racial profiling, police brutality and militarization. Several writers have pointed out that women of color, however, are often left out of these stories of police violence that include sexual assault.

While sexual assault is one of the most underreported crimes according to the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network, evidence suggests that it is a significant issue in police forces. When a police officer is accused of having abused their power, the media sheds light on it (rightfully so!).  Even if the police officer is not prosecuted, their name and face might continue to be associated with the alleged crime. For victims who are not able to find justice through the justice system, that might be a small consolation. However Dixon-Cole was not the victim, but the victimizer who disregarded that fact that her lie could have long-lasting repercussions for the innocent police officer.

2 The Time’s Up Movement

ENTITY Mag talks false sexual assault accusations

TheWrap.com

Dixon-Cole’s false accusations were insensitive and disrespectful towards actual sexual assault victims. She seems to be ignorant to survivors who have not been able to come forward for many different reasons, and to survivors who did come forward but are doubted and confronted with suspicion. She also offended everyone attempting to understand and fix the nation’s sexual assault crisis which does not only affect the accusers and the accused, but everyone connected to them. 

As Journalist Ashleigh Banfield addressed in her open letter to Dixon-Cole, “Your false accusations of rape against that cop, your viral cry wolf, just brought a dark cloud to our national therapy session, and your category-5 damage is not covered by insurance.”

3 Everyone who fought for her

ENTITY Mag talks false sexual assault accusations

ibTimes.com

Dixon-Cole took advantage of the people who believed and fought for her. Social justice journalist Shaun King supported her because people connected to Dixon-Cole stated that she would never fake something like this. He stood up for her, and posted about her case on his social media accounts where the post went viral. When King found out that she made everything up, he was baffled and deeply disappointed.

“Every single day I receive hundreds of requests to assist people who’ve been truly victimized in one way or another. I can count on one hand the times I’ve been lied to. […] Each time it has happened to me, it ripped my heart out, and caused me to genuinely pause to wonder if I could still get out there and fight for victims another day after being lied to,” he wrote in an article on Medium.

But King also concluded this thought by emphasizing that Dixon-Cole’s lie was not representative of actual victims, and that the fight for justice should remain unaffected by her story.

“Many good people fought for this person, a complete stranger to us, out of the goodness of our heart. We were right to fight — the system requires us to fight for every ounce of justice we ever get […].”

We must not forget

King highlights an important sentiment. While Dixon-Cole’s actions were disrespectful, insensitive and appalling, it is important to remember that she does not represent anybody else but herself.

The rates of false sexual assault accusations are no higher than those reported in other categories of crime, but many victims are still met with explicit counter accusations or defamation lawsuits. Dixon-Cole’s actions are not representative of others who report sexual assault incidences, and despite her dangerous fabrication, the nation must maintain the momentum of the Time’s Up Movement to ensure that we keep fighting for and protecting the survivors of sexual assault. 

Edited by Kylie Anderson
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