Why didn’t she fight back? Why did she stay? For as long as abuse and sexual violence have existed, there have been questions about how victims are “supposed” to act in their aftermath. In our last episode, we explored the public vilification of Robin Givens but there was more to say. This week, Susie and Jess chart our national obsession with “perfect” victims — and why that obsession persists. Plus, Jess talks about  E. Jean Carroll’s assault case against Donald Trump, which she covered for the Times.

FOR MORE: 

• Why Didn’t She Scream? And Other Questions Not to Ask a Rape Accuser (New York Times, 2023)
• What People Misunderstand About Rape (New York Times, 2023)
• Robin Givens on Domestic Violence: 'Why I Stayed' (Time, 2014)

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