# 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:** 5\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2006, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/false-rape-accusations-revisited/367227/121 "2006-08-07T11:34:51Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Not in so many words. But **Diogenes** , to take one example, certainly argued as though the possibility were tremendously unlikely and not worthy of serious consideration as a possibility. The only post in the thread from him was [post=7324013]this one[/post]: > [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > The victim has injuries to the genital area consistent with forcible rape which still need to be explained. I know there is video showing bruises and scratches on her arms and legs when she entered the building. Those are not the injuries I’m talking about. I think a lot of people have decided this girl is a liar based on a couple of red herrings like the meaningless photos of pre-existing scratches on her arms and the meaningless lack of DNA. Neither one of those things remotely proves innocence and the pertinent injuries still require an explanation. > > I also think that (even though they probably won’t admit it) that the fact that she’s a stripper makes people assume that she must be a lying slut. I don’t think his post qualifies as the weaponized rhetorical you argue against in the OP. **Evil One** came closer, but still not quite there, with [post=7286729]this[/post]: > [@Evil One](#): > > If the accusation is false, attempted extortion would be the only reason I can think of as to why she would do this. The only really on-point (for this thread) argument from that thread was from **hawksgirl** , who provided a cite with which to present the idea, and then expressed satisfaction with its credibility [post=7294335]here[/post]: > [@hawksgirl](#): > > First off, an estimated [58% of rapes go unreported](http://www.rainn.org/statistics/) . > > > [@](#): > > > > Myth: Women often lie about being raped to get revenge, for their own benefit or because they changed their minds afterwards. > > Reality: Only 2% of reported rapes are false accusations. Most women will not lie about being raped for any reason. > > [Cite](http://sa.rochester.edu/masa/myths.php) I would bet that their cites are good. > > I found more of the same, but from Canada, so I’m sure you would say how our women are more spiteful, etc. > > And for the record, my earlier statements assumed that there was evidence of rape to start with. I didn’t see the police collecting DNA for a clean rape kit and lack of trauma. > > And if you insist on assuming that half of rapes are false, then you must concede that half (or more) are real. Of course, no one would believe them with all those lying whores crying rape all the time. But even still, it was not presented as a rhetorical. It was a definitive assertion, and it wasn’t even hers; it was a quote from her cite: “Most women will not lie about being raped for any reason.” I agree with the idea of your OP, but I haven’t seen it used much in practice on the boards. Anytime someone tries, it seems a blizzard of counter-cites are provided showing that rape has the highest incidence of false reporting of all tracked crimes. ---
**Author:** ![psychloan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4bbf92/32.png) [@psychloan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychloan)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2006, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/false-rape-accusations-revisited/367227/122 "2006-08-07T11:50:31Z")
> [@Der Trihs](#): > > 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. People get wound up over sex crimes in a way that just doesn’t happen for other crimes. For example, some states require that sex offenders be “registered” Not so for burglars, arsonists, and murderers. Accusations of sexual misconduct are uniquely damaging and uniquely difficult to disprove. Many male doctors and dentists take steps to make sure they are never alone with a female patient for this reason. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2006, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/false-rape-accusations-revisited/367227/123 "2006-08-07T11:55:42Z")
> [@psychloan](#): > > People get wound up over sex crimes in a way that just doesn’t happen for other crimes. For example, some states require that sex offenders be “registered” Not so for burglars, arsonists, and murderers. > > Accusations of sexual misconduct are uniquely damaging and uniquely difficult to disprove. Many male doctors and dentists take steps to make sure they are never alone with a female patient for this reason. I think instead of visiting the potential sentence upon a false accuser, a false accusation of a sex crime should be considered a sex crime in and of itself. Let the false accuser have to register as a sex offender for the rest of his or her life, informing neighbors upon moving in, the whole deal. ---
**Author:** ![psychloan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4bbf92/32.png) [@psychloan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychloan)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2006, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/false-rape-accusations-revisited/367227/124 "2006-08-07T14:16:43Z")
> [@Ellis Dee](#): > > I think instead of visiting the potential sentence upon a false accuser, a false accusation of a sex crime should be considered a sex crime in and of itself. Let the false accuser have to register as a sex offender for the rest of his or her life, informing neighbors upon moving in, the whole deal. While that would certainly be emotionally satisfying, I’m not sure it’s the best policy. Because it would ensure that very few people would ever recant a false charge. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2006, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/false-rape-accusations-revisited/367227/125 "2006-08-07T14:21:57Z")
> [@psychloan](#): > > While that would certainly be emotionally satisfying, I’m not sure it’s the best policy. Because it would ensure that very few people would ever recant a false charge. There’s also the fact that it’s really warped, and definitely not justice. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/false-rape-accusations-revisited/367227.md?page=6)