Rachael Elder Photo: supplied/Rachael Elder
Harvey Weinsten has been facing two charges of predatory sexual assault against two women, yet 80 women came forward with stories of abuse at his hands. Due to the statute of limitations, many of those cases could not proceed.
It was a similar situation with Bill Cosby - now in prison for drugging and sexually assaulting one woman - despite 60 women coming forward.
In both cases defence lawyers have used the fact that many women did not immediately come forward to argue that they simply regretted consensual sex.
So when we read an essay by Wellington woman Rachael Elder about why she felt unable to report her rape to the police, we asked her if she would talk to us about her situation and what she has learned about the way the system works.
Read Rachael Elder's full essay here
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