The Dissolution Advocates NW | LLC

SLAPP: STRATEGIC LAWSUITS AGAINST PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

These lawsuits have an impact on speech and open discussion by targeting individuals who engage with their government or express their opinions on matters of public concern. Women as victims of sexual assault are heavily targeted and labeled as not credible.

LET ME TELL YOU A LITTLE SECRET…DO YOU KNOW WHO LIES ABOUT RAPE? RAPISTS DO!

The #MeToo movement has drawn an outpouring of testimony by the victims of sexual harassment and sexual abuse. has also highlighted the importance of legal protections for victims who bravely come forward to disclose sexual assault.

The problem is straightforward: #MeToo victims frequently fear retaliation via defamation lawsuits filed by their abusers.

These lawsuits have become a tactic that perpetrators use in order to retaliate against sexual assault survivors. Frivolous legal actions also have an effect on reporting to law enforcement, which is already low despite the fact that false rape allegations are statistically as rare as false claims for any other type of violent crime (between 2 and 8 percent).

Even though these lawsuits are often baseless, simply filing them puts pressure on survivors to hire lawyers (if they can afford it) and fight back against their abusers sometimes even after their claims have been validated by a court. The intention behind these lawsuits is to punish and silence survivors.

In the context of sexual assault, SLAPP tactics can be particularly insidious. Survivors who come forward to share their experiences and seek justice may face retaliation in the form of defamation lawsuits or other legal actions designed to discredit or silence them. These lawsuits not only inflict emotional distress on survivors but also deter others from speaking out, perpetuating a culture of silence and impunity around sexual violence.

NEED LEGAL ADVICE?