# False Rape Accusations Revisited **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [August 3, 2006, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/false-rape-accusations-revisited/367227 "2006-08-03T18:43:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2006, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/false-rape-accusations-revisited/367227/101 "2006-08-05T18:28:13Z")
> [@psychloan](#): > > I quoted more than one article that used the words"myth" and “rape” a lot. You linked to two articles. One used the word “myth” a dozen times, the other didn’t. This wasn’t lazy; I don’t know how it became unclear. > [@](#): > > If it turned out that the Duke rape accuser had first reported an alleged rape shortly before her encounter with the police (rather than after), would that fact help the prosecution’s case? It probably would, yes. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2006, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/false-rape-accusations-revisited/367227/102 "2006-08-05T18:28:40Z")
Y’know, **psychloan** and **Marley23** , if either one of you had simply taken a breath and laid out the exact point to which you were referring some time back, you could have resolved your issues, (or, at least, figured out what you were arguing over), some time yesterday. Stop the one-liners and express your points in complete paragraphs so we can move on. ---
**Author:** ![psychloan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4bbf92/32.png) [@psychloan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychloan)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2006, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/false-rape-accusations-revisited/367227/103 "2006-08-05T18:40:24Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > You linked to two articles. One used the word “myth” a dozen times, the other didn’t. This wasn’t lazy; I don’t know how it became unclear. I’m not going to go back an count the number of times the words “myth” and “rape” appeared in each article I quoted. Suffice it to say that the words appear frequently enough that that the phrase “rape myth article” is not sufficiently clear. > [@](#): > > It probably would, yes. Why do you think so? ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2006, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/false-rape-accusations-revisited/367227/104 "2006-08-05T18:58:26Z")
> [@Joey P](#): > > …Someone basically said that if a women accuses a man of rape and it turns out that it was a false accusation, whatever punishment the man would have been dealt, she will receive instead. In a way, such eye for an eye-justice already exists, and we need not adjust the balance of power in any direction. Girls can date bad guys and get abused; raped, hurt, killed. Guys can date psycho girls and get abused as well, with the weapon of choice for girls being an accusation of rape. A girl can use emotional or verbal violence to drive an otherwise decent guy over the edge and into violence, violence against her, or displaced violence onto innocent bystanders. Mutatis mutandis, a guy’s behavior can drive an otherwise decent girl into an accusation of rape against him, or against innocent bystanders. I know it sounds terribly corny, but the best way to prevent both rape and false accusations of rape is for men and women to treat each other, well, just decently. Secondly, both men and women should avoid psycho’s of either sex, no matter how tempting it is to screw/date them. So guys, there’s no such thing as a free gangbang; and girls, there is no such thing as an asshole who will stop being an asshole just because he’s dealing with _you_. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2006, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/false-rape-accusations-revisited/367227/105 "2006-08-05T18:59:34Z")
Alright then. To sum this up. In his first post to this thread, **psychloan** found the article [The Charge of Rape, the Force of Myth](http://www.vachss.com/guest_dispatches/alice_vachss2.html) by Alice Vachss. He posted the following rebuttals, with which I have continued to disagree. > [@](#): > > I would say that this commentator is dead wrong. Not only are there plenty of disturbed/calculating women looking to “cry rape,” there are prosecutors who will jump at the chance to prosecute a sketchy allegation for their own selfish purposes. **psychloan** said that what the author termed “rape-myths” are actually somewhat accurate, although the quote above doesn’t really address any of her points. Everybody knows that some rape accusations > [@](#): > > A lot of studies have been done showing that false accusations of rape are very common. And yet, there exist people simply won’t accept this. I said a few times that “very common” is a meaningless term, and posted the Columbia Journalism review article (in which the author of a study that **psychloan** cited remarked that his own results should not be extrapolated into a general rate). The general point of that article is that “official” rape statistics vary so wildly that at this point, none can be accepted as absolutely true. So I feel that the comments that “rape-myths” are somewhat accurate and that there are “plenty” or “a large number” of false rape accusations are not supported by the facts. False accusations exist, but they aren’t necessarily present in alarmingly high numbers and the existence of those false accusations doesn’t mean that there aren’t myths about rape. Ta da. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2006, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/false-rape-accusations-revisited/367227/106 "2006-08-05T19:20:21Z")
> [@Maastricht](#): > > In a way, such eye for an eye-justice already exists, and we need not adjust the balance of power in any direction. > Girls can date bad guys and get abused; raped, hurt, killed. Guys can date psycho girls and get abused as well, with the weapon of choice for girls being an accusation of rape. The problem is, there’s not much connection between abuse and retaliation, which is one reason why do-it-yourself justice is frowned upon. If anything ( while I’ve never heard of a study on the subject ), I’d expect that it’s the perfectly innocent, non-abusive types who would get targeted the most. After all, it’s much safer to, say, falsely accuse a nice, non-violent guy than Bob the Psycho who might beat you to death in retaliation. Another flaw in your argument, is that it assumes that nobody is simply nasty for the fun of it, or because of some political/religious conviction. A woman can by perfect honestly and never falsely accuse a man of anything, and it won’t save her from the abuse of some guy who thinks the Bible/Allah/Nature demands she be beaten into submission, or who is simply a bully. A man who never abuses a woman can still be falsely accused for fun, or politics. > [@Maastricht](#): > > I know it sounds terribly corny, but the best way to prevent both rape and false accusations of rape is for men and women to treat each other, well, just decently. You have a kinder view of human nature than I do. ---
**Author:** ![psychloan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4bbf92/32.png) [@psychloan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychloan)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2006, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/false-rape-accusations-revisited/367227/107 "2006-08-05T19:20:59Z")
> [@Maastricht](#): > > I know it sounds terribly corny, but the best way to prevent both rape and false accusations of rape is for men and women to treat each other, well, just decently. > > Secondly, both men and women should avoid psycho’s of either sex, no matter how tempting it is to screw/date them. So guys, there’s no such thing as a free gangbang; and girls, there is no such thing as an asshole who will stop being an asshole just because he’s dealing with _you_. It’s hard to imagine what Reade Seligmann should have done differently. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2006, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/false-rape-accusations-revisited/367227/108 "2006-08-05T19:27:21Z")
That’s true. As I understand it, Seligmann actually left the lacrosse party during the time the rape is supposed to have happened. ---
**Author:** ![Blalron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2006, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/false-rape-accusations-revisited/367227/109 "2006-08-06T01:20:55Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > And if the accuser is judgement-proof? If you have any ideas to make the system more fair, I’d be glad to hear them. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2006, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/false-rape-accusations-revisited/367227/110 "2006-08-06T01:26:10Z")
> [@Blalron](#): > > If you have any ideas to make the system more fair, I’d be glad to hear them. Voluntary effort by media not to publish the name of the accused until conviction. ---
**Author:** ![Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8c91f0/32.png) [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bam_Boo_Gut)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2006, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/false-rape-accusations-revisited/367227/111 "2006-08-06T05:11:09Z")
Having experienced both rape and early childhood sexual abuse I always feel very sad to read these “cry rape” stories. Why would she lie? Did she get involved with something she later regretted? Was she trying to frame these guys? Two reasons to lie - but I think it is a confused individual who agrees to have sex with six men on video tape and there is most likely some experiences in her past which caused her to reach the point of both getting gangbanged and then lying. I’d guess she’s been abused in the past and is extremely confused. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2006, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/false-rape-accusations-revisited/367227/112 "2006-08-06T05:54:52Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Voluntary effort by media not to publish the name of the accused until conviction. I sure wouldn’t go for that. Is there some reason that people accused of rape should be treated differently than everyone else in the justice system? ---
**Author:** ![Apos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@Apos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apos)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2006, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/false-rape-accusations-revisited/367227/113 "2006-08-06T12:18:05Z")
Yes, there is, apparently. Bitches crazy! ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2006, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/false-rape-accusations-revisited/367227/114 "2006-08-06T14:43:24Z")
Thank goodness I have been video taping all my sexual activities. For legal protection of course. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2006, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/false-rape-accusations-revisited/367227/115 "2006-08-06T14:49:16Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I sure wouldn’t go for that. Is there some reason that people accused of rape should be treated differently than everyone else in the justice system? This is just a guess on my part but perhaps it’s so they’re not subject to vigilante “justice” if their name’s published. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2006, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/false-rape-accusations-revisited/367227/116 "2006-08-06T18:26:02Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > This is just a guess on my part but perhaps it’s so they’re not subject to vigilante “justice” if their name’s published. I can understand why they might need protection, but I don’t see why accused rapists need a form of protection that people accused of murder don’t need. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2006, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/false-rape-accusations-revisited/367227/117 "2006-08-06T19:10:46Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I can understand why they might need protection, but I don’t see why accused rapists need a form of protection that people accused of murder don’t need. Because people found not guilty of murder are less likely to be assumed guilty by society at large, perhaps. With sex crimes, simply being accused can ruin your life. A lot of men won’t so much as hug a child or help him/her up after they’ve fallen, for fear of being accused of being a child molester, because they know it won’t do them much good to be found innocent. I suspect if men had a lower sex drive the majority in this country would live celibate and alone out of fear of being called a rapist. ---
**Author:** ![you\_with\_the\_face](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/ecccb3/32.png) [@you\_with\_the\_face](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/you_with_the_face)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2006, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/false-rape-accusations-revisited/367227/118 "2006-08-06T19:54:01Z")
> [@Der Trihs](#): > > I suspect if men had a lower sex drive the majority in this country would live celibate and alone out of fear of being called a rapist. Rather melodramatic, are we? If you’re worried about being accused of rape so much that celibacy looks like a good option, you might want to talk to a psychologist. Because right now you’re sounding like someone who refuses to ride in a car at night because they are freakishly afraid of getting hit by drunk driver. It’s called paranoia. ---
**Author:** ![Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8c91f0/32.png) [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bam_Boo_Gut)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2006, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/false-rape-accusations-revisited/367227/119 "2006-08-06T20:17:28Z")
> [@Paul in Saudi](#): > > Thank goodness I have been video taping all my sexual activities. For legal protection of course. Cite? And this prompts me to start another thread - IMHO - Fellas - have you ever feared that a charge of rape could be brought against you? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2006, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/false-rape-accusations-revisited/367227/120 "2006-08-06T21:24:39Z")
> [@Der Trihs](#): > > Because people found not guilty of murder are less likely to be assumed guilty by society at large, perhaps. I don’t suppose I could get a cite for that. > [@](#): > > With sex crimes, simply being accused can ruin your life. And murder is different _how_? When someone is charged with murder, it’s usually indisputable that someone is dead - whereas there may not be evidence that a rape even happened. It would seem to me that people charged with murder need this protection _more_ than those charged with rape - but I don’t think either one should get it. > [@](#): > > A lot of men won’t so much as hug a child or help him/her up after they’ve fallen, for fear of being accused of being a child molester, because they know it won’t do them much good to be found innocent. I suspect if men had a lower sex drive the majority in this country would live celibate and alone out of fear of being called a rapist. This is paranoid, impossible to substantiate, and frankly, I think it’s goofy. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/false-rape-accusations-revisited/367227.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/false-rape-accusations-revisited/367227.md?page=7)