I don't mean to imply that Ronaldo definitely did it, but, I mean... what hope is there to hold people to account for sexual assault when they actually *are* guilty if everyone instantly assumes the accuser has a sinister motive, be it money, politics, or something of that ilk? How many people have kept silent about what happened to them because this is exactly the sort of response they expected: doubt, sneering, slander and demolition of character?
Finding a balance between treating the accused with due process, and taking the accuser seriously, is clearly not easy. I even edited this post once to replace "victim" with "accuser" just now, where the former is clearly too far in favour of taking the claims of assault 100% factually with no balance. But there has to be a better way to respond than digging for dirt on women every time they come forward.
There's something wrong when the very characteristics of money, fame, and power, give both real abusers greater opportunity to ply their trade, and provide a convenient shield to hide behind should a complaint ever be made about them.