These type of “innocent until proven guilty” responses to allegations of sexual abuse are not limited to public figures. When a member of a faith community is accused of sexually abuse, it is not uncommon for leaders and other members to caution everyone to hold off forming any opinions and to give the accused the benefit of the doubt until he has been “proven guilty” in a court of law. All too often, this results in the alleged offender being treated like the victim while the victim is ignored, marginalized, and sometimes even rebuked. - See more at: http://boz.religionnews.com/2015/01/16/innocent-proven-guilty-really-mean/#sthash.vuRQOBG3.dpuf
So, is a person who has been accused of sexual abuse “innocent until proven guilty”? Yes! Under the law. One legal dictionary states, “One of the most sacred principles in the American criminal justice system holds that a defendant is innocent until proven guilty.” This simply means that a person charged with a crime is legally innocent and cannot have their freedom taken away (sent to prison) unless and until they have been proven guilty in a court of law. It is critical to remember that “innocent until proven guilty” is a legal term and that just because a person is viewed under the law as “innocent” does not mean that they did not commit the offense. It simply means that a jury was unable to unanimously agree that the government was able to prove the crime beyond and to the exclusion of all reasonable doubt. It means that the defendant will be considered “innocent” under the law and will not lose his freedom. It does not mean the offense never occurred. Case in chief: the murder trial of O.J. Simpson. Though the judicial system determined that he was “not guilty”, does that mean that he didn’t murder Nicole Simpson and Ron Goldman? Does the fact that he was found “not guilty” mean that we should have no concerns being alone with him…especially when he’s angry? - See more at: http://boz.religionnews.com/2015/01/16/innocent-proven-guilty-really-mean/#sthash.vuRQOBG3.dpuf