Rape and the Culture of the Courtroom

Cultural stories about rape such as the provocatively dressed woman ""asking for it"", this work argues, are at the root of many unconscious prejudices that determine jury views. The author connects these stories with real-life examples in the US, including the Mike Tyson and Glen Ridge rape trials, in attempting to show how rape stereotypes are used by defence lawyers to gain acquittals.;Building on Deborah Tannen's research on the differences between male and female speech, the book also sets out to demonstrate how word choice, tone, and other lawyers' linguistic tactics work to undermine the confidence and credibility of the victim, weakening her voice during the trial. It presents reform proposals, consistent with feminist theories of justice, designed to improve both the American adversary system in general and the way in which the system handles rape cases.