Fifield, 41, is the second woman to allege this week that Platner engaged in nonconsensual sexual conduct. Jenny Racicot, 41, who said she previously dated Platner, told The Post and other outlets on Monday that he sexually assaulted her in late 2021, leading a growing number of allies to drop their endorsements and call on him to withdraw from the race for a Maine seat in the U.S. Senate. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), his most influential and prominent supporter, said he spoke with Platner on Tuesday and urged him to withdraw from his campaign to unseat Susan Collins, the incumbent Republican.
Platner, 41, a Marine Corps veteran and oyster farmer, also denied Racicot’s allegation but said on Monday that he was “mindful of the political reality” that the reporting will “inflict” on his campaign and was “taking the time to reflect on the best path forward.”
Fifield initially told The Post about the alleged condom removal during a June 20 interview that was off the record. She said she decided to speak publicly about it Tuesday in part because, she said, she wanted to show that Racicot was not alone in experiencing issues with Platner involving sexual consent.
It’s like we all collectively forgot about Me Too or it wasn’t nearly as effective as we wanted it to be.
I’m incredibly disappointed in the reaction from some on the left to this issue.
I don’t think MeToo failed. It succeeded in making known how prevalent sexual assault was. And it allowed women, including this women, to come forward with her story.
I do think MeToo could never really fight against sexual assault in its entirety because it wasn’t aimed at the perpetrators. It was aimed at the victims, to tell them they weren’t alone, that it was okay to talk about their experiences, that they had people that understood them.
And that is a great first step! But to really fight sexual assault, you need to aim at the those that commit assault as well.
You need to have them listen to the stories of the victims. You need to have them hear their pain that they have and continue to cause. You need to have them reconcile what they have done with who they are. It is not enough to prop up and help the victims. You also have to reform and help the offenders.
And that sounds a little crazy, that somehow the offenders are due some sort of relief for the crimes they have done. I don’t want anyone reading that to think that they don’t owe their victims some form of becoming whole again. Only that there has to be a movement aimed at the offenders of sexual assault to truly fight against it.
I know personally, I am much better informed now about the systemic realities around silencing of rape and sexual assault victims. I knew before some, I just know more now. Part of that was just having more life experiences in general, but I also credit Me Too.
Not crazy at all, this entire comment is great and thank you.