The Denver Postkobe bryant trial
Victims advocates: Laws must change
Thursday, September 02, 2004 -
The Kobe Bryant case leaves behind a dubious legacy for rape victims and for the legal loopholes in Colorado's rape shield law, experts say.
Though the criminal case has ended, the work is not done for victim advocates who say the gray areas in the laws need to be changed so that victims are protected. Bryant's 20-year-old accuser told prosecutors she would not testify and the case against the NBA star collapsed when District Judge Terry Ruckriegle dismissed the case Wednesday. "This young woman left this case without a shred of privacy," said Cynthia Stone, spokeswoman for the Colorado Coalition Against Sexual Abuse. "She has not been able to live in the same state or hold a job. This young woman has had her life threatened. For 14 months, this woman has shown extreme strength and courage." The Bryant case was an unusual criminal case in that he was a high-profile defendant with extraordinary financial resources, Stone said. "He is the poster child as to why women do not report sexual assault," she said. The accuser's name was accidentally revealed by the courts and the judge allowed the defense to question her sexual history and habits. "The defense got to disseminate rumors and speculate about this woman," Stone said. "We just have to make sure that cannot happen while keeping the delicate balance of the defendant's rights." Victim advocates say the outcome of the Bryant case and others like it are a step backward for rape victims and the criminal justice system. "Our big concern as an organization is that sexual assault victims are going to look at this case and see how it came to this moment and refuse to come forward and press charges," said Sarah Graham Miller, spokeswoman for RAINN, the Rape Abuse and Incest National Network. Nationwide, less than half of rapes are reported to authorities - about 44 percent, Miller said. "There is a lot of fear about entering the system and how the system treats victims," she said. "Whatever harms that system - issues at the courthouse, aggressive, high-paid defense teams or false media reports - we are looking to foster a system that encourages victims to come forward." The Bryant case hasn't affected reporting to RAINN's national hotline. There has been a 20 percent increase in calls this year over last year, Miller said. Stone said she does not know of any specific victims who have decided not to report a rape because of the Bryant case. She also believes people will continue to report the crime because they want justice. "Is the reporting of rape in this country going to drop to zero? No," Stone said. "There is a very compelling need to seek justice when you feel that you have been wronged." Staff writer Felisa Cardona can be reached at 303-820-1219 or fcardona@denverpost.com .
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