NEW YORK _ A highly regarded psychiatrist, testifying Friday at the trial of accused sexual predator Harvey Weinstein, explained to a Manhattan jury that most rape victims know their attackers and often hide the horrifying details from others.
Dr. Barbara Ziv, who testified for the prosecution in both the Bill Cosby and Jerry Sandusky criminal trials, offered her expert take on the popularly accepted myths surrounding rapes and other sex crimes inside a packed courtroom in the Oscar-winning defendant's trial.
"People come to assess sexual assault with preconceived notions that are usually wrong," Ziv told the panel of seven women and five men on day three of the trial against the hugely-successful Hollywood producer. "People believe that they know things about sexual assault. ... What they all have in common is that most people in society believe them, and research has shown that they're not true."
Weinstein, 67, faces a possible life in prison if convicted on the highest charges against him for the alleged sexual assaults on two New York women. He once again arrived in court wearing a black suit, and took his seat the defense table in silence.
Ziv particularly dismissed three of the most widely accepted misconceptions: Rape most often happens between strangers, victims often resist their attackers, and victims always report the crime to law enforcement.
"At least 85% of sexual assault is perpetrated by somebody who is known to the victim," Ziv said. "Physical resistance, other than struggling, is pretty rare. ... Screaming, yelling, hitting, punching, biting _ although that happens, it's rare."
A day after actress Annabella Sciorra testified about allegedly getting raped by Weinstein inside her apartment but never reporting the crime, Ziv explained that her reaction was typical.
"As devastating as sexual abuse is, most individuals think 'OK, if I can put in behind me, I can move on with my life. ... I can handle the trauma, but God forbid they ruin the rest of my life,'" she said.
Most women "want to put it in a box and forget about it," she continued. "But they can't."
