With the MeToo movement encouraging victims of sexual harassment to speak out, those accused have fought back by suing accusers. Since 2014 there has been at least 100 defamation lawsuits filed against accusers. Only California and Louisiana have enacted laws to protect accusers. California’s law protects employers from defamation lawsuits for reporting sexual harassment to employers. Louisiana’s law freezes defamation lawsuits until criminal, civil and administrative hearings have run their course. (Mother Jones, March/April 2020, by Madison Pauly)
Defamation lawsuits have also been used by victims unable to bring criminal charges with statues of limitations in place. Defamation lawsuits have been filed against President Donald Trump, Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore and actors Bill Cosby and Johnny Depp. To prevail in a defamation case, the plaintiff must show that the speech against them was factual and not opinion. (The New York Times, January 12, 2020, by Julia Jacobs)