“Grace’s trial was victimblaming at its very worst”
As a guilty verdict is reached in the Grace Millane trial, Closer’s psychological therapist, Emma Kenny, examines the controversial court case that has shocked the world
Grace Millane’s family sobbed outside court last week, after the 27-year-old man who chillingly murdered their daughter was finally found guilty.
The 22-year-old, who was backpacking in New Zealand on her gap year, had met up with Jesse Kempson after chatting to him on Tinder. On the night of 1 December last year – the eve of Grace’s 22nd birthday – the pair went for drinks, before heading back to his apartment. It was there that Kempson strangled Grace during sex. He then watched porn and went on another date, before stuffing her body into a suitcase and dumping it in a forest.
The case shocked the world, not least because details of Grace’s sexual preferences were brought as evidence by the defence. Kempson – later described as a serial fantasist with an obsession with violent sex with young women – claimed that Grace died accidentally during “rough sex” that she had encouraged.
CRUEL
The court heard that Grace was a member of bondage and sadism sites and was a fan of the Fifty Shades films. Her ex-boyfriend also testified that the pair had used safe words during sex.
But the fact that such private details about Grace were made public has been widely criticised, with many on social media condemning it as a cruel attempt to shame her.
Closer’s psychological therapist, Emma Kenny, says that for Grace’s family, the revelations will have been a “cruel” addition to their grief.
She says, “Not only have her parents had to cope with the unimaginable pain of losing their daughter, but the court case will have planted chilling images in their minds of her final moments. On top of all of this, they’ve had to cope with the most private details of her life being made public. The defence painted Grace as some kind of seductress. It was victimblaming at its very worst.”
LEGACY
But Emma says that despite the attempts of Kempson and his defence team, Grace’s name remains untarnished. She says, “It was Grace’s right to have sexual preferences – it has no bearing on who she was as a person. I’d advise her family to think about creating some kind of legacy – perhaps a charity
– to honour Grace. That way, the name Grace Millane will become synonymous with positivity and hope, rather than the senseless murder of a beautiful woman with the world at her feet.”
Now, Grace’s family continue to grieve for their daughter. Her dad, David, said, “Grace was our sunshine and she will be missed forever.”
By Kristina Beanland