In a historic win for journalist E. Jean Carroll, a Manhattan jury found former President Donald Trump liable for defamation and sexual abuse, while not finding him liable for her alleged rape. Carroll was able to make allegations of sexual assault thanks to an unusual law created last year, which allowed victims of sexual offenses to file civil suits even if the statute of limitations had expired. However, not all alleged victims will be able to count on such laws, but they could find justice in the other half of Carroll's allegations: defamation. Her defamation case rested on Trump's denial of her allegations. The former president's response was seen as an attempt to discredit her, a tactic often used against victims by influential individuals. The ruling reveals how truth is a complete defense to a claim of defamation, and could create political shockwaves for Trump, who has previously been accused of sexual harassment by multiple women. Indeed, the American public has come to view sexual assault as a form of abusing power that can disqualify a perpetrator from holding public office, pointing to how this ruling may encourage other victims to come forward and seek justice.