CREDIBLE
Why We Doubt Accusers and Protect Abusers
by Deborah Tuerkheimer
A legal scholar grapples with the ways in which race, class, and gender affect a sexual assault victim’s credibility—and their ability to access justice. Credibility—or the tendency to be believed—is a form of power meted out entirely unfairly. So argues Tuerkheimer, who coins the phrase “credibility complex,” which she defines as “a cluster of forces” that lead us to believe some individuals over others. She argues that culture and the law intertwine to give women “credibility discounts” and men credibility “inflation.” Socially ingrained discounts not only make it harder for women to win abuse cases in courts of law; it also makes them doubt their own credibility, leading to a nationwide hesitation to file claims. “At its most covert,” writes the author, “the credibility complex leads victims to elevate the perspectives and interests of their abuser above their own.” This means that victims, and others involved in the process, often give abusers “the benefit of the doubt.” The tendency to doubt women is particularly hard on women of color—especially Black women—and women who identify as working class. Tuerkheimer cogently argues that until we examine and address these deep-seated biases, our society will ensure that we never treat sexual assault survivors with the gravity and care they deserve. The book’s analysis is both layered and nuanced, and the language is precise, passionate, and clear. While the author provides detailed explorations of the effects of race and class on sexual assault claims, she offers little acknowledgment of the impacts of disability or queerness on credibility. Particularly glaring is the absence of examples involving trans women, who suffer much higher rates of sexual assault and violence than their cisgendered peers. Still, this book is an important addition to an ongoing conversation. A trenchant analysis of how flawed notions about credibility fuel a wide variety of societal inequalities.