For the Guys. False Rape Accusations: Discuss

[polimicks]

zabieru asked me if I'd be willing to host a discussion amongst the guys on their take on the "Epidemic" of false rape accusations that gets trotted out every time I, or any other woman, starts to talk about rape.

Yes, I know, I'm not so good at reining in the bias about this topic.

So, I'll be turning this over to the guys. I will not edit. I will not delete unless the venom and name-calling get out of hand. I will let the guys have this discussion, and urge the girls to let them have it as well. If you fear it will be too triggering, don't read it.

This post is ALL about the comments, so it's in their hands.

Comments

[lisatheriveter.livejournal.com]

When I was about 10 years old, I was part of a false accusation of rape (in fact, of sexual assault of a minor, as the accuser was also about 10 years old). I have no idea how I feel about this incident, but I offer it as a subject of discussion.

One afternoon I was chatting on the phone with a schoolmate when she told me she was at that very moment being sexually assaulted by her father. I quizzed her a bit on what was going on and told her to leave or call the police (she said she could not do either). The whole thing sounded fishy even to my young ears - what kind of rapist lets you sit there on the phone describing what is happening to you? - but my father had trained me well. I hung up with my friend, called the police department and had them patch me through to my dad, and told him everything. He immediately got the cops and CPS on the case.

As it turned out, I was right in my feeling that this was fishy. My friend was not being abused, neither at the time nor at any time previously. CPS and her parents got her into therapy and dealt with whatever problems had prompted the accusation.

My memory is a little fuzzy on the details, but I don't think I ever really had any more contact with my friend. My parents praised me for my quick thinking and good reactions, and I feel like I did the right thing. I took my friend seriously and sent the best help I could think of. I cannot imagine what prompted her to make such a claim, but I hope that she eventually got the help she needed and went on to have a better life.

So there you go. There's one documented instance of a false accusation. Mind you, it started out as a social accusation, and only became a legal accusation because a witness (me) reported it to the police. It is possible that because my father was involved (I had shared with him my doubts in the initial call) that there was never actually a police report of sexual assault filed - this was a very small town and it was not unheard of for CPS to get involved without a formal police report.The police documented my statement, but I gave it at home to my dad, who served both as cop taking the statement and parent supervising a child's interaction with the police. I think we just recorded my statement - it was pretty informal.