With the beginning of what Talon Marks News Editor David Jenkins has coined, “the Weinstein effect,” the influx of people in all industries calling out their predators and speaking out against sexual harassment and abuse has also encouraged the defense of such predators.

Supporting someone who has multiple sexual abuse allegations silences the victims, disregarding their experience.

It can be argued that someone was wrongfully accused; but, in light of the current events — where it seems like accusations are thrown daily in this political shitstorm — can one really believe someone was wrongfully accused?

Yes, there are people who like to join the bandwagon no matter what the situation is; but that doesn’t seem to be the case now, where, according to a NY Times article, 34 men have been accused — and the number keeps growing!

The survivors are speaking out because they feel safer to do so now more than ever.

Being a victim of sexual abuse is not easy, and silence is usually forced onto the victim for a variety of reasons.

Most recently, on Nov. 21, John Lasseter, head of Pixar and Walt Disney Animation has been accused of, “sexual harrassment, including grabbing, unwanted kissing and making comments about physical attributes.”

Earlier this month, Alabama judge and politician Roy Moore was accused of sexual misconduct with five teenage girls.

To make matters worse, there was an open letter signed by 53 pastors that defended Moore posted on Facebook by his wife Kayla Moore, and President Donald Trump has also defended him.

A recent update on the matter from several credible sources has noted that the letter was recycled from an endorsement for the GOP primaries that was written in August, and many pastors have been asked to be removed from the list.

Trump, our lovely president who also has his own allegations– including  the notorious “grab ’em by the pussy” video– defended Moore, a man who was banned from a mall for badgering teenage girls in the 1980s.

Simultaneously, we have comedian Sarah Silverman, speaking on fellow comedian and friend, Louis CK’s, confirmed allegations of masturbating in front of five women.

She did what is necessary — she addressed the situation and said,

“I love Louie, but Louie did these things. Both of those statements are true. So, I just keep asking myself, can you love someone who did bad things? Can you still love them? I can mull that over later, certainly, because the only people that matter right now are the victims. They are victims, and they’re victims because of something he did.”

Conversely, As Jenkins has also pointed out, the recent Weinstein effect has also contributed to “sexual McCarthyism” — where people are being accused left and right without due process–  and worries about the deleterious effects trial by community holds.

Granted, defending the accused can also mean you stand by them through false allegations.  However, those who stand by and “defend the confirmed” stifle the current “speak out” movement.

If you support someone who is being accused, don’t publicly support them — do it in the courtroom where it matters.