Is Donald Trump a Rapist?

Published by Daleen Berry on

You may not know this, but many journalists don’t vote. Why? Because they believe holding a political opinion impairs their ability to objectively do their jobs. This is one reason I remain largely silent during election years. Since journalists are at the front line of an election, in order to be fair, we must be neutral. Otherwise, our reporting could be compromised. And reporters must write, not just about the political events leading up to an election, but about the behind-the-scenes stories that help citizens learn the entire truth about a candidate, or candidates.

I haven’t said much about this election because most of it has already been said. But a few months ago I received a private message from one of my readers, asking if I knew about a news article alleging Donald Trump was a wife beater. At the time, I didn’t.

But since then, Trump’s popularity has grown—and people seem so swayed by the man, his money, and his power, that they blindly follow his every word—so I’ve decided to speak up about a topic I am passionate about. That topic? Domestic violence and, more important, rape. Specifically, marital rape—something I feel qualified to speak about, since I wrote a book about it.

You see, the scariest thing about this election for me, personally, is the reaction of Trump’s supporters—do they really condone raping one’s wife? After all, aren’t they’re saying they wholeheartedly support rape when they support Trump, the man accused of such a base act?

One year ago, in February 2015, The Daily Beast reported that during a 1990s deposition, Trump’s ex-wife Ivana, said he violently assaulted her. The account found its way into a 1993 book about the billionaire, and include such ugly details as Trump forcing Ivana to have sex she didn’t want, and intentionally yanking out clumps of her hair during the sadistic act. The book’s author said that when Ivana told her closest friends what happened, she used the word “rape.”

Reading about her horrific experience—which sounds like rape to me—made me shudder.

Sadly, Ivana late recanted. Well, in a manner of speaking.

By their very nature, divorce proceedings reveal extremely private details about a couple’s most intimate moments. Abused women, especially, have been known during divorce proceedings to reveal being victims of shameful behavior at the hands of their mate. These deep, dark secrets are things they would never tell another person—unless that person is a shrink or a doctor. It’s almost like these women have remained silent for so long that, finally, knowing their escape from their batterer is imminent, they relish the chance to speak out about the most vicious, private acts carried out against them during the marriage in question.

Ivana is not alone.

Many women—even married women—claim they were raped, only to later recant. Statistics show it’s not usually because the rape didn’t happen. More often, it’s because the women are still subservient enough that they are afraid to call a spade a spade. Because doing so comes at a very high cost. I know this because I was one of those women. And I’ve talked to dozens of women whose situations mirrored mine.

Based on Ivana’s divorce documents, she was raped. Just because she later toned down her words doesn’t mean Donald Trump did not rape his wife. Here’s what it could mean. In order to feel safe, or to get money (or some other concession) from Trump during their divorce, Ivana had to soften her story. Or maybe, like many women, Ivana later doubted her own reality. It happens. Far too much.

Read the Daily Beast piece. It’s well-written and shows Trump for what he is—a man who surrounds himself with bullies as ugly as he is. Bullies who threaten the press who dare to print such stories, and who say it’s legal to rape one’s wife.

Which is so ridiculous that it would be funny, if only so many Americans didn’t seem to worship the pedestal upon which Trump stands.

* * * *

My fifth book, Guilt by Matrimony, about the murder of Aspen socialite, Nancy Pfister, was released November 17. My memoir, Sister of Silence, is about surviving domestic violence and how journalism helped free me; Cheatin’ Ain’t Easy, now in ebook format, is about the life of Preston County native, Eloise Morgan Milne; The Savage Murder of Skylar Neese (a New York Times bestseller, with coauthor Geoff Fuller) and Pretty Little Killers (also with Fuller), released July 8, 2014, and featured in the August 18 issue of People Magazine.

You can find these books either online or in print at a bookstore near you, at BenBella Books, Nellie Bly Books, Amazon, on iTunes and Barnes and Noble.

For an in-depth look at the damaging effects of the silence that surrounds abuse, please watch my live TEDx talk, given April 13, 2013, at Connecticut College.

Have a great day and remember, it’s whatever you want to make it!

~Daleen

Editor’s Note: Daleen Berry is a New York Times best-selling author and a recipient of the Pearl Buck Award in Writing for Social Change. She has won several other awards, for investigative journalism and her weekly newspaper columns, and her memoir, Sister of Silence, placed first in the West Virginia Writers’ Competition. Ms. Berry speaks about overcoming abuse through awareness, empowerment and goal attainment at conferences around the country. To read an excerpt of her memoir, please go to the Sister of Silence site. Check out the five-star review from ForeWord Reviews. Or find out why Kirkus Reviews called Ms. Berry “an engaging writer, her style fluid and easy to read, with welcome touches of humor and sustained tension throughout.”

Editor’s Note: Daleen Berry is a New York Times best-selling author and a recipient of the Pearl Buck Award in Writing for Social Change. She has won several other awards, for investigative journalism and her weekly newspaper columns, and her memoir, Sister of Silence, placed first in the West Virginia Writers’ Competition. Ms. Berry speaks about overcoming abuse through awareness, empowerment and goal attainment at conferences around the country. To read an excerpt of her memoir, please go to the Sister of Silence site. Check out the five-star review from ForeWord Reviews. Or find out why Kirkus Reviews called Ms. Berry “an engaging writer, her style fluid and easy to read, with welcome touches of humor and sustained tension throughout.”


Daleen Berry

Daleen Berry

Daleen Berry (1963- ) is a New York Times best-selling author and TEDx speaker who was born in sunny San Jose, California, but who grew up climbing trees and mountains in rural West Virginia. When she isn't writing, she's reading. Daleen is also an award-winning journalist and columnist, and has written for such publications as The Daily Beast, Huffington Post, and XOJane. Daleen has written or co-written eight nonfiction books, including her memoir, "Sister of Silence," "The Savage Murder of Skylar Neese," "Pretty Little Killers," "Cheatin' Ain't Easy," "Tales of the Vintage Berry Wine Gang," "Shatter the Silence," and "Appalachian Murders & Mysteries," an anthology. In 2015, West Virginia University placed "Sister of Silence" and "Guilt by Matrimony" on its Appalachian Literature list. You can follow her blog here: https://www.daleenberry.com. Or find her on Facebook and Twitter, as well as email her at daleen(dot)berry(at)gmail(dot)com. She loves to hear from readers.

1 Comment

Tammy

Tammy · March 22, 2016 at 5:20 AM

First and foremost, I am not a big fan of Trump. Let me just post my thoughts on this matter. I was raped when I was much younger and in high school, I was also raped and beaten by my ex husband while we were married. Those close to me and not so close, know of this. I have since grown stronger and make better choices. Why bring this up now and if indeed it was true at the time why must we consider it now? People change and I am sure if it had merit, it would have been outed already. Politics is a cruel back stabbing and ruthless career choice. Would he want to take that chance?

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