Kavanaugh innocent until proven guilty

I REFER to the letter from Michael Clemenger (Letters, September 25) and would like to offer a different observation on the whole Brett Kavanaugh saga.

I, too, am a survivor of child sexual abuse and have nothing but compassion and understanding for everything Mr Clemenger has relayed, as I have also walked some of the same paths and I certainly have no intention of adding in any way, no matter how small, to the obvious hurt he is feeling. He will carry this to the end of his days, as I will.

The point I would like to make is that Brett Kavanaugh is currently also a victim of sexual abuse as he has been tried, convicted and found guilty by the court of mob rule and group-think.

This is all based on unproven, at this stage, allegations. If the man is guilty, then he deserves everything he gets but he deserves justice, which Mr Clemenger, myself and so many other survivors have been denied.

Innocent until proven guilty was, and still is, the bedrock of our legal system regarding any allegations or legal dispute – except sexual allegations where it seems an allegation can destroy a person. If you are charged with robbery, murder or criminal damage and are found innocent you can reclaim your good name. However, men – and it’s usually men – even if found innocent, will always be tainted with comments like “he got off with it” or “there is no smoke without fire”.

I don’t know if Christine Blasey Ford was a victim of sexual assault and neither, for that matter, does Mr Clemenger. Indeed, there are very few people who know the full truth – apart from Ms Ford and Mr Kavanaugh.

It’s unfortunate that both parties are seemingly being used by vested interests to fight another battle. Joseph Condren

Tallaght, Dublin 24