# It's people like you that make it harder to punish rapists! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 5, 2001, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-people-like-you-that-make-it-harder-to-punish-rapists/71408 "2001-07-05T22:42:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2001, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-people-like-you-that-make-it-harder-to-punish-rapists/71408/21 "2001-07-07T20:34:17Z")
here’s the [story on Gary](http://www.spiritone.com/~law/dotson.html) ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2001, 9:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-people-like-you-that-make-it-harder-to-punish-rapists/71408/22 "2001-07-08T09:27:49Z")
Might as well post it here too; here is the law of my state (Georgia) concerning perjury; [O.C.G. 16-10-70](http://www.ganet.org/cgi-bin/pub/ocode/ocgsearch?number=16-10-70): > [@](#): > > (a) A person to whom a lawful oath or affirmation has been administered commits the offense of perjury when, in a judicial proceeding, he knowingly and willfully makes a false statement material to the issue or point in question. > > (b) A person convicted of the offense of perjury shall be punished by a fine of not more than $1,000.00 or by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than ten years, or both. A person convicted of the offense of perjury that was a cause of another’s being imprisoned shall be sentenced to a term not to exceed the sentence provided for the crime for which the other person was convicted. A person convicted of the offense of perjury that was a cause of another’s being punished by death shall be punished by life imprisonment. Merely filing a false police report is a much less serious matter ([O.C.G. 16-10-26](http://www.ganet.org/cgi-bin/pub/ocode/ocgsearch?number=16-10-26&Code_Number_Submit=Begin+Search)): > [@](#): > > A person who willfully and knowingly gives or causes a false report of a crime to be given to any law enforcement officer or agency of this state is guilty of a misdemeanor. ---
**Author:** ![Cap\_n\_Crude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Cap\_n\_Crude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cap_n_Crude)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2001, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-people-like-you-that-make-it-harder-to-punish-rapists/71408/23 "2001-07-08T17:06:08Z")
Well posted, **MEBuckner,** but what about the Statute of Limitations? In anything but murder cases, IIRC, you only have 6 or 7 years from the date of the original offense to press counter-charges. If the wronged party has been through the system and imprisoned, most of that time is already gone. IANAA (I am not an attorney – I refuse to use IANA Lawyer 'coz it looks like ass), so any clarification or refutation of this is welcome. That having been said, I’m right with the OP on this topic. Rape is a horrible crime; even the accusation can wreck a person’s life. If they did it, then of course they deserve every bit of suffering they get. But to make a false accusation is lower than a mole’s dick. It forces us to ask if a woman is lying when she claims rape, and makes men terrified of meeting new women. People suck. ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2001, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-people-like-you-that-make-it-harder-to-punish-rapists/71408/24 "2001-07-08T17:37:19Z")
While I agree with the sentiments expressed here, I can’t help but think that in at least a few of these cases the only reason the guy was eventually freed was because the accuser had an attack of conscience somewhere down the road. Had they thought that recanting meant that they thenselves had to do 20 years hard time, well, these guys might very well still be in prison. On the other hand, when duplicity is discovered through other means, I totally agree that we put them away. ---
**Author:** ![Father\_Pacelli](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c37758/32.png) [@Father\_Pacelli](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Father_Pacelli)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2001, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-people-like-you-that-make-it-harder-to-punish-rapists/71408/25 "2001-07-08T18:20:31Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Stella_Fantasia \* > \*\*Man, I was just about to start a thread about this… > > GOD, does this piss me off!!! One night I met this guy, & he raped me. Now, because I’d known him for 45 minutes before he did that to me, I am a victim of “date rape”. But because of stupid cunts like that one, “date rape” has come to mean “I had sex when I was drunk & felt bad about it the next morning”. So I can’t ever talk about what happened to me for fear that people will think I’m like that bitch.\*\* Stella, my heart goes out to you. That’s happened to me, as well–the being assaulted part, that is (yes, men do get raped). I mean it wasn’t a date or anything. > [@](#): > > **It would be too mean to say that I hope all the moronic twats who cry “date rape” after they lose their judgment post-margarita should get raped for real, & have to spend the rest of lives with 1 1/2 nipples like I do, but it would be nice if they understood what rape REALLY was…& for everybody else, it hurts just as bad if you know his name. The fact that he didn’t grab me in a darkened alley didn’t make me bleed any less…** Damn, that sucks hardcore. But are fantasies of revenge truly what you want? Go ahead, feed those women to wild dogs, make them suffer in a Stalinist prison, whatever you want–but will that change what happened to you? Stella, rise above that shit. That’s what I did, and I feel better about myself. You will too–I guarantee it. You have a point about the word “rape”. Sorry, ladies, but you consented. Therefore, it’s not rape. Get over it. Good luck, Stella. No sarcasm here; I meant every word. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-people-like-you-that-make-it-harder-to-punish-rapists/71408.md?page=1)