Man is acquitted of raping teenage girl after her skimpy underwear is used as evidence against her in trial

The 27-year-old accused was acquitted but not before his defense representative indulged in a bit of victim shaming in a case dominated by a case of consent
UPDATED NOV 12, 2018

A lawyer, representing the man who was acquitted of raping a teenage girl, triggered outrage for suggesting to the jurors that they should take into consideration the type of underwear the victim was wearing when the alleged rape took place.

This has, for obvious reasons, sparked a whole lot of rage among activists and campaigners against sexual assault. Elizabeth O'Connell, representing the 27-year-old accused accused of raping a 17-year-old girl in Cork, Ireland, during her closing argument said the girl was wearing a lace thong at the time of the encounter.

According to the Irish Examiner, O'Connell said: "Does the evidence out-rule the possibility that she was attracted to the defendant and was open to meeting someone and being with someone? You have to look at the way she was dressed. She was wearing a thong with a lace front."

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