Credible: Why We Doubt Accusers and Protect Abusers

Summary

In
this landmark book, a former prosecutor, legal expert, and leading authority on
sexual violence examines why we are primed to disbelieve allegations of sexual abuse—and
how we can transform a culture and a legal system structured to dismiss
accusers

Sexual
misconduct accusations spark competing claims: her word against his. How do we
decide who is telling the truth? The answer comes down to credibility. But as
this eye-opening book reveals, invisible forces warp the credibility judgments
of even the well- intentioned among us. We are all shaped by a set of false
assumptions and hidden biases embedded in our culture, our legal system, and
our psyches.  

In Credible,
Deborah Tuerkheimer provides a much-needed framework to explain how we perceive
credibility, why our perceptions are distorted, and why these distortions harm survivors.
Social hierarchies and inequalities foster doubt that is commonplace and predictable,
resulting in what Tuerkheimer calls the “credibility discount”—our dismissal of
claims by certain kinds of speakers—primarily women, and especially those who
are more marginalized.  

The #MeToo
movement has exposed how victims have been badly served by a system that is designed
not to protect them, but instead to protect the status quo. Credibility lies at
the heart of this system. Drawing on case studies, moving first-hand accounts,
science, and the law, Tuerkheimer identifies widespread patterns and their
causes, analyzes the role of power, and examines the close, reciprocal
relationship between culture and law—guiding us toward accurate credibility judgments
and equitable treatment of those whose suffering has long been disregarded.

#MeToo
has touched off a massive reckoning. To achieve lasting progress, we must shift
our approach to belief. Credible helps us forge a path forward to
ensuring justice for the countless individuals affected by sexual misconduct.