I thought this was the Jimmy Savile thread,  not a generalist thread about " verbal evidence" per se and frankly I'm a bit tired of reading about the "verbal" evidence requirement not being very important...

In Savile's case there's nothing more to go on, the man is dead but his "victims" are still alive and live with the scars of his actions, deep ones in some cases. Yes, it's emotional, rape and abuse is emotional, something that a lot of men just don't seem to recognise... Stop intellectualising the process, it's emotional and if verbal evidence is all they have, allow them to bring it forward. This enquiry began because 4/5 women independently came forward with reports about Savile, so they can't all be wrong can they?

Times have changed enormously from the attitudes and actions men in their behaviour towards women and the subsequent reactions of the police. Back in the 60's/70's - 80's even, as a woman raped or assaulted by a man, very often the last place they would go would be the police because it would not be generally taken seriously and very little support would have been available. 

The same applies to young children and teenagers. They are not believed. They know this, so nothing is said to either a parent guardian or anyone else in authority because of this attitude.  This is why Childline was set up...

It's these very same attitudes that stopped these people coming forward sooner in the Jimmy Savile case when he was still alive. He was the great fund raiser, he was the presenter of children's shows so he had to be a good person... He was also very bright, knew people in high places and had his feet well and truly under the table and had the power. So some young girl had no chance of reporting him to anyone and being believed!  The fact that there were people who knew him and some of those people were suspicious and witnessed some of his behaviour and yet still didn't speak up about him were, in my view, complicit in not helping to stop him sooner. But... those were mostly the times when even they would not be believed but they are coming forward now.

creeky makes a very good point about Ian Huntley and the Soham murders. No evidence, just the word of the women in most cases. Is it any wonder women/girls don't report attacks and rapes when they are met with this sort of response.