University of Washington Public Posting of Sexual Assault and Harassment Claims

According to the Tacoma News Tribune (November 10, 2018) the University of Washington student-run website called “Make Them Scared” allows for the public posting of the names of individuals who have committed [are alleged to have committed] sexual assault or harassment.

But websites like this cross a dangerous line. Online shaming platforms are a cheap substitute for fair, thorough criminal proceedings.

Initially, the naming of names was done anonymously, so victims would feel more comfortable coming forward. After some backlash, all accusers now give the website moderators some form of identifying information. But all that’s made public is the name of the alleged assailant and as much description of the incident as the accuser wants to share.

There’s no question the list gives women a way to fight back, but any shortcut to justice should make us all scared. Hiding behind the cover of anonymity minus hard evidence and due process erodes the rule of law and is an invitation to libel.
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It is easy to make false claims against someone, especially when those claims can be posted anonymously (or semi-anonymously). It is just as easy for an investigation to be structured to point to or cover-up for whatever person the investigator opposes or supports. An assistant chief of police once joked, "just get the victim to say she enjoyed it, just for a minute, and there goes her case".

Of course, not every claim of sexual assault or harassment has merit or is supported by evidence, as we recently saw in the claims against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. “Following the separate and extensive investigations by both the [Senate] Committee and the FBI, there was no evidence to substantiate any of the claims of sexual assault made against Justice Kavanaugh.”

The government posts the names of dangerous sex offenders in the community, but on sex offender registry lists, everyone has been convicted of a crime in a court of law. Are sites like the UW Make Them Scared site a way to warn others in the community, or are such site too great a risk of false accusations and revenge? The website has had more than 75,000 views and a little over 300 submissions, according to the site’s moderators. (Many of those were "troll submissions" after the site was posted on Reddit and 4chan threads Friday, Oct. 4, and experienced a large spike in exposure.)

UW administration spokesperson Victor Balta said, “We do not know who is behind the site, and it is in no way affiliated with the UW. We continue to encourage individuals to file a report directly to the university if they experienced sexual harassment or assault.”

 

 

 

 

Operating in Hostile and Non-Permissive Environments:
A Survival and Resource Guide for Those Who Go in Harm’s Way

 

Military personnel deployed to a combat area, their supporting contractors overseas, government civilian employees overseas, non-government organizations (NGOs), journalists working on international stories, businesses attempting to establish a foothold in developing countries, and individual travelers to remote areas of the world can all find themselves in hostile and non-permissive environments. This guide covers a broad range of subjects that are intended to aid individuals, living and working in dangerous areas, in being safer in their daily lives and in being better able to protect themselves and survive in case of an emergency, disaster, or hostile action.