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Journalism of Courage
Women around the world have been posting photos of their underwear on social media in protest after a man was acquitted in a rape case in Ireland during which the woman’s ‘thong’ was used as an evidence. A series of protests over sexual consent has been shaking Ireland, a week after the 27-year-old was found not guilty for allegedly raping a 17-year-old teenager. It all started after a criminal court case ended the case with the man being found not guilty of rape in the city of Cork.
“You have to look at the way she was dressed. She was wearing a thong with a lace front,” defense barrister Elizabeth O’Connell asked the jurors to take into account the underwear the teenager was wearing, according to a report by the Irish Examiner.
The shocking defense left people irked and even led to a stir in Irish Parliament as one of the Irish MPs, Ruth Coppinger, produced the blue lacy thong in House to highlight “routine victim-blaming”.
Using a thong as evidence of implied consent was considered victim-blaming and slut-shaming by many women on social media, who started posting pictures of their underwear using the #ThisIsNotConsent hashtag.
Coppinger also posted the photo on Twitter urging her followers to join protests in Dublin against the controversial verdict.
https://twitter.com/fiona96fmnews/status/1062702985472552961
While many marched on streets, others took to social media to express solidarity and also vent their anger.
https://twitter.com/lilthumper408/status/1062173392780984320
https://twitter.com/1Blllie/status/1063021225067323397
https://twitter.com/keeganblain/status/1062955344849031168
https://twitter.com/ScaldoPanchine/status/1063013671515967488
https://twitter.com/picturepositive/status/1062793619017469952
https://twitter.com/hazelgriffiths_/status/1063015153501958144
According to Irish Times, around 600 people attended rallies in Dublin and Cork in protest.
