Her recent legal case underscores the value of speaking out about sexual assault.
With military operations in Afghanistan back in the news, we’re hearing again about the fog of war. The term was first introduced by Prussian military analyst Claude von Clausewitz to describe the lack of clarity in the battlefield, despite the best-laid plans. Military leaders say it prevents us from knowing the best strategies for success in foreign wars. Military heroes are never heard from again, lost forever in the “fog of war.”
Like the fog of war, the fog of sexual assault stokes confusion, clouds judgment, and obscures reality for the victims. Public and private institutions often make it hard to report sexual assault and easy to discredit the victim. Perpetrators present alternative “facts” about incidents. Psychological and emotional barriers make it difficult for victims to accept their victimhood. Altogether, these forces form the fog of sexual assault and often prevent victims from speaking with lucidity about the crimes committed against them.
Last week in a Denver courtroom, pop icon Taylor Swift—who is dropping a much anticipated single from her sixth album today—took significant strides in clearing the fog surrounding sexual assault. Buttressed by an all-star legal team, high-powered PR, and significant social standing, Swift spoke in stark terms about the assault perpetuated against her by radio DJ David Mueller. After bluntly describing how Mueller grabbed her underneath her skirt, Swift forcefully and unwaveringly repeating her testimony throughout an hour-long interrogation: “He did not touch my rib; he did not touch my hand; he didn’t touch my arm; he grabbed my bare a--.”
The jurors—six women and two men—found that Mueller assaulted ...
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