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

[rae-beta.livejournal.com]

Gender, I'd guess, is a fair lot of it, as is anticipated reaction--I'd imagine that if you're making a deliberate false accusation, you're way more likely to go to a) a man (which I'm guessing you are, just from the context of this thread), and b) someone who isn't trained as a victim advocate. Anyone who knew me well enough to come to me about an assault would know that my first responses would be based around their safety and available resources rather than social revenge, which seems like the obvious motive for deliberately making a false accusation (I'd further distinguish deliberate false accusations from, say, describing something from inaccurate memories, especially when the latter are fueled by drugs and/or alcohol and/or hypnotherapy / repressed memory "therapy").

I didn't mean to downplay--or reflect at all on--the relative prevalence of first-party allegations, which was why I specified that I was speaking from experience rather than statistics or even anecdotal evidence. Consider any missing credit given. =)