How are we still allowing powerful men to dismiss sexual abuse allegations?

Donald Trump has been found liable of sexual abuse and defamation in a landmark civil case brought against him by writer and columnist E. Jean Carroll. 

The 79-year-old columnist accused the former President, 76, of raping her in the changing rooms of Manhattan's Bergdorf Goodman department store in 1996.

Carroll alleged that Trump cornered her in the dressing room, pulled down her tights and raped her. Trump dismissed Carroll's allegation as "a hoax and a lie", insisting that he had never met her and that she was "not his type".

“I’m here because Donald Trump raped me, and when I wrote about it, he said it didn’t happen," Carroll told jurors in her testimony. "He lied and shattered my reputation, and I’m here to try and get my life back."

This week, the New York jury cleared Trump of rape, but were unanimous in their verdict that he was liable of sexual abuse and defamation.

This has the potential to be a watershed moment, with Trump formally recognised as a sexual predator - the first former President of the United States to have been found liable of sexual abuse. 

And while a civil lawsuit is unable to enforce any criminal charges (Trump has been ordered to pay Carroll £4 million in damages), it should have had a major impact on Trump's reputation, sending a clear message that being powerful does not exempt you from having to take accountability.

Instead, Trump swiftly dismissed the verdict and mocked E. Jean Carroll, confirming his plans to appeal and signalling that he's ready to run for President a third time. 

Worse still, the world is letting him. 

Just one day after the landmark verdict, Trump took centre stage at a CNN town hall where he repeatedly mocked E. Jean Carroll to the applause and laughter of the New Hampshire audience.

In a shocking display of misogyny, Trump called Carroll a "wack job" and performed a mock retelling of her testimony, exclaiming: “What kind of a woman meets somebody and brings them up and within minutes you’re playing hanky-panky in a dressing room?”

Perhaps even more shocking were the comments online, with Trump's blindly loyal following slamming the verdict as a "political mission to keep him out of office", and praising his dismissal of the allegations.

"They're lucky that the Best President Ever showed up to give them some good ratings for once!" one viewer posted of his CNN town hall appearance. Another wrote: "Remember 30 years ago when you said hi to a woman, well now she's charging you for sexual harassment."

"Are we supposed to believe that Trump, a dude who could bag supermodels back in the 90s, would really go for a woman like this?" read another comment. Others stated: "Her allegations are about as real as her hair" and "Maybe in her dreams!"

The vehemence with which Trump's fans have defended him is scary, with many of the comments even alleging that their support for the former President has only increased in light of this case.

"Trump is needed back in power more than ever," read one post. Another stated: "This will probably do him more good than harm. It'll make him stronger."

Donald Trump is one of the most powerful men in the world - and as such, he appears to have been untouchable by the justice system for too long. He has after all been accused of sexual abuse by at least 25 women since the 1970s, with this being the first time he has actually been found liable.

This week's verdict is therefore undeniable progress - Donald Trump has finally been held accountable in a courtroom. But powerful men have a long history of weaponising their fame and wealth to overcome rulings such as this. And with loyal fans defending him vehemently and allowing him to disregard the allegations so casually, it is a very real possibility that Trump could come out of this virtually unscathed.

In fact, given the lack of restrictions in the US constitution, Trump - now recognised as a sexual predator - can still run for office. So it is even possible that he could actually gain power, going on to become President of the United States once more.

Only time will tell how much of an impact this case will have on Trump's standing, with the news that he is a sexual predator coming as little surprise. This is after all the man who bragged about "grabbing women by the pussy" before winning the 2016 US Presidential Election.

But this case should mark a change, and we must treat this formal verdict seriously, because it does have the potential to be a turning point, sending the important message that no one is above the justice system and that being a figure of power no longer exempts you from liability.

In order to achieve this however, we have to stop letting the Donald Trumps of the world dismiss allegations as they have done historically.

We must stop giving them a platform and being their obliging audience, and instead call for culpability. 

It is 2023, and being in a position of power should not protect you from being accountable.

Let us know your thoughts at @MarieClaireUK.