The Paradox of #metoo

[Willie Pep]

6. This is why formal mechanisms are needed to sort accusations out.

Sexual harassment is a real problem but trial by media is never good and often leads to sensationalism and witch hunting. This is especially true when it comes to politics where there is an incentive to use sexual harassment claims as weapons to destroy opponents. That is why I thought that an ethics investigation of Franken was the best course of action. I am afraid that by resigning without an investigation Franken has signaled to political operatives that sexual harassment claims can be weaponized to destroy politicians. I expect all opposition research to now hunt for possible accusers no matter how flimsy their claims are.

Thank you for sharing your story. I know a man who was falsely accused of sexually molesting another man. His accuser later confessed to lying about his claim but the damage was done and this man I know lost his job, his marriage collapsed and his reputation in the community was irreparably damaged so he ended up moving to another town. False accusations are rare but the consequences can be dire even if the victim is formally exonerated people will still see them as a wrongdoer. That is why accusations need to be handled in a serious manner by formal institutions not the news media or Twitter.