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CREDIBILITY: Trump rape caused E. Jean Carroll decades of trauma, doctor testifies

CREDIBILITY: Trump rape caused E. Jean Carroll decades of trauma, doctor testifies

CREDIBILITY: Trump rape caused E. Jean Carroll decades of trauma, doctor testifies

Donald Trump has repeatedly denied raping E. Jean Carroll, arguing that she is making up her story and that she’s being used as a political operative to attack him ahead of the 2024 election, and one witness, psychologist Dr. Leslie Lebowitz, testified Wednesday about the plaintiff’s state of mind, and why her allegations are believable.

The credibility of Carroll’s allegation rests on multiple points, including whether it’s believable that she was victimized, and whether it’s realistic that Trump carried out the attack.

The latter is being addressed at trial by the testimony of other women who say he has attacked them in a similar manner.

As for Carroll’s claims of being victimized, testimony about her state of mind becomes relevant.

Writer Lisa Birnbach has already testified that Carroll contacted her to describe the incident within minutes of it occurring, and now Dr. Lebowitz is offering an expert opinion on her experience.

Trump has argued (though not on the witness stand — he’s elected not to appear in his own defense) that since Carroll can’t remember certain details of the incident, it must not have happened, but Lebowitz testified that this is very normal for victims of trauma, as are other symptoms and behaviors seen from her.

She also disagreed with claims that returning to the store, keeping the dress, and watching Trump’s reality show, The Apprentice, are unusual behaviors after the alleged rape. ABC reports:

“Lebowitz pushed back against the inference from the defense that Carroll’s rape claim against Trump could not be true because she did not act like it actually happened…As for watching ‘The Apprentice,’ Lebowitz said there was excitement about the show in Carroll’s professional and social circles. To not watch would have forced her to reveal why.”

She also testified that Carroll’s failure to scream during the attack is a normal response that many rape victims experience, and explained how a victim’s trauma can cause details of the traumatic event to be lost or forgotten.

You’ll see some of this testimony below in a live-tweeted report from Law & Crime News‘ Adam Klasfeld.

Trump has been warned off using social media to attack Carroll and perhaps attempt to reach the jury with certain information on the first day of the case, and his son Eric Trump has also been warned after posting much the same material his father had already taken down.

Despite this, Donald Trump Jr. also shared attacks on Carroll on Tuesday, retweeting a misleading claim that the victim had refused to turn her dress over to law enforcement for DNA testing.

The video he shares is from 2019, and Carroll is clear in it that she has been told there’s no point in doing so because (under the laws at that time) she has been informed there’s no legal action to take.

He also neglects to mention that she did have the DNA independently tested, and attempted to obtain a sample from his father for comparison, and that Trump would not submit to testing.

Klasfeld reports that Dr. Lebowitz affirmed it is normal, even common, for rape victims not to scream.

She further explains how trauma affects memory.

Below, see Trump Jr.’s retweet of claims that Carroll refused to submit her dress for DNA testing.

[IScreenshot via Donald Trump Jr/Twitter]
Stephanie Bazzle
Steph Bazzle is a news writer who covers politics and theocracy, always aiming for a world free from extremism and authoritarianism. Follow Steph on Twitter @imjustasteph. Sign up for all of her stories to be delivered to your inbox here:

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