Last week, a female rapper from Texas got some comfort when a jury found the man who shot her guilty after so many men — and women — didn’t believe her. Last week, the fiancee of the head coach of the men’s basketball team at the University of Texas take back her request that she was strangled after so many men – and women – were shocked by the accusations. This is the story of women in America.
Earlier this month, Randi Trew – fiancée of Chris Beard – alleging that Beard bit and strangled her. He just grabbed me and got super violent, read the affidavit. “He strangled me, threw me out of bed, bit me, bruised all over my leg, threw me around and went crazy.” A few weeks later, she sang another tune.
“Chris and I are deeply saddened that we have brought negative attention to family, friends and the University of Texas, among others. As Chris’ fiancée and biggest supporter, I apologize for my role in this unfortunate incident. I realized that my frustration, when I broke his glass, started a struggle between Chris and me.” she shared in the statement.
“Chris didn’t choke me, and I told law enforcement that night. Chris has stated that he acted in self-defence and I do not refute that. I don’t believe Chris is intentionally harming me in any way. I never intended to arrest or prosecute him. We appreciate everyone’s support and prayers during this difficult time,” she explained.
Regardless of how this looks from the outside, no one really knows what happened inside that house but God, Trew, and Beard. But what we do know is that when things like this happen, it’s another blow to women as they continue their fight to be heard and believed, because, as we know, sport is a place where violence against women is a forgivable sin.
Beard is currently suspended without pay “until further notice” due to the incident that led to his arrest for aggravated domestic violence. The school is reviewing Trew’s testimony and has not decided what to do next.
For those who have trusted Trew from the beginning, everything about this doesn’t look right. And for those who think she’s lying, they feel vindicated – as if this were another example of “a woman trying to take down a ‘good man’. But in the end, women are the losers. That is usually the case whenever doubt surrounds an allegation. It is not new for a woman to withdraw her testimony after a family incident. But the idea that these women continue to lie about it is ancient.
Based on KVUE ABC in Austin, the arrest affidavit they obtained described Trew’s wound as “a bite mark on the right forearm with visible tooth marks and redness, a scratch on the right eyebrow and the temporal region positive, a scratch on her left leg extending from her knee to her foot and a cut on her left thumb with dried blood. The affidavit also includes an “Assault Victims Statement (AVS)” which lists scratches on her back, a scratch on her right eye, a bite mark on her right arm, and a scratch on her right arm. scratches and bruises on his left leg, and a cut on his left arm as other injuries to Trew.
In 2016, South Bend Court reported that “false reporting in domestic violence and rape cases is between 2 percent and 6 percent.” Stats and facts are cursed, I guess.
When a woman tells a story, it doesn’t necessarily mean she’s lying or that it didn’t happen at all. It means she may have chosen the lesser of the two evils, or fear of retaliation and how that might break the family structure, or that she has compassion for the man she loves who can turn their career/livelihood upside down because of one, or many, bad decisions. Grace should be bestowed when someone is faced with a potentially life-changing decision.
Last week, Megan Thee Stallion illustrated why women should be trusted when they make accusations. Last week, Randi Trew pointed out why women don’t always believe when they make accusations. This is the story of women in America – and the men and women who don’t believe them.
