Do we have a false rape epidemic? If you read the Ithaca Journal blogs following my attack you would think false rape reporting was the next H1N1.
False rape reporting stems from the false myths that surround sexual assault like women cry rape to get revenge or attention. Perpetrators quickly align themselves with these myths to shield themselves from culpability to their crimes. With so many perps crying “false rape allegation” you would think we are in the midst of false rape allegation pandemic. Though statistically less than 4% of reported rapes are proven false. That is the same percentage as other crimes. Still that low percentage is little comfort to one if falsely accused. So let’s put on a rape apologist finger for a moment and investigate how one might create a false rape allegation.
Before we begin our false rape scenario we must first acknowledge what sets rape victims apart from other crime victims is that a rape victim is immediately perceived as a potential liar when making a report to authorities. Not only is that “prove it” tone implied with each and every question during their statement but so is the demand to retell the traumatizing events over and over to catch any inconsistencies. Before an arrest is even considered detectives run a gamut of background checks on the victim ensuring the victim doesn't go around making reports like this every day. Victim’s pasts are not only combed over by detectives given the case, but also by the prosecuting team to see any areas that might come out against the victim in trial. Inconsistencies (if any,) are again probed for further clarification. Rape crisis counselors are dispatched to the scene where if a victim is fabricating any story they must definitely show no holes to a trained counselor.
The rape victim’s body becomes a crime scene. Intensive efforts are put forth into examining every scrape, cut and marking both inside and on a victim’s body. Through a collection of fibers, swabs, picks, scraping, scans and photographs every inch of the victim’s body evidence is gathered, and completed in the most intrusive of ways. Anyone that claims a woman makes a false rape claim should first go through SANE (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner) themselves before making such a nonsensical statement.
Once the rape allegation is made family and friends will begin to choose sides. Some will choose to blame a victim for what she wore, drank or mixed signals sent to the perpetrator. Others will worry that she has become damaged goods. Many of the victim’s acquaintances and co-workers will be uncomfortable that she made herself a target by not taking “proper precautions” to avoid getting raped. Eventually that uncomfortable gossip will lead to shunning and eventual alienation. Community shunning will occur once the assault reaches the media. Victims must endure community banishment and a constant barrage of victim-blaming statements. Defense lawyers know this, and they rely heavily on the victim-blaming culture to help spin their client’s temporarily soiled name back to dignity. Good lawyers spin a few prevailing myths on rape to their advantage during trial never missing a beat to question the victim on what they were wearing, why the delay in reporting, and if they knew the assailant prior to the attack etc.
A victim knows all this before ever sitting down and giving a statement to police. They know it, and fear it which is why 80%of rape victims never find the strength to report it. If someone is crazy enough to want to put themselves through the experience of creating a false report they must also possess certain talents like being part sociopath and Academy Award Winning Actor to fool not only the police, detective team, District Attorney, Grand Jury, SANE/hospital personnel, rape crisis counselors, therapist, friends and family, co-workers, and community members but she must also fool herself. A victim must keep up the sham with strategically planned outburst performances of PTSD(Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) and RTS (Rape Trauma Syndrome) never letting anyone close to them in on their revenge scheme. They must avoid dating or reclaiming their life in any way as to make themselves still seem damaged. A routine that must be dragged on for months even years as rape trials usually take that long to prosecute.
Now anyone up for this revenge scheme?
Even with my attempt to temporarily cloak myself in a false rape accuser’s dressing I still have trouble with one thing. Wouldn’t it just be easier to get revenge by planting crack rock in his car or sleeping with his best friend? Surely there are simpler ways of revenge ones that don’t whack away at the dignity, livelihood, spirit, relationships a victim has spent a lifetime building. And then I wonder something else if a woman can be so good a liar to seek revenge then why can’t a perpetrator be just as good avoiding justice?
False rape reporting stems from the false myths that surround sexual assault like women cry rape to get revenge or attention. Perpetrators quickly align themselves with these myths to shield themselves from culpability to their crimes. With so many perps crying “false rape allegation” you would think we are in the midst of false rape allegation pandemic. Though statistically less than 4% of reported rapes are proven false. That is the same percentage as other crimes. Still that low percentage is little comfort to one if falsely accused. So let’s put on a rape apologist finger for a moment and investigate how one might create a false rape allegation.
Before we begin our false rape scenario we must first acknowledge what sets rape victims apart from other crime victims is that a rape victim is immediately perceived as a potential liar when making a report to authorities. Not only is that “prove it” tone implied with each and every question during their statement but so is the demand to retell the traumatizing events over and over to catch any inconsistencies. Before an arrest is even considered detectives run a gamut of background checks on the victim ensuring the victim doesn't go around making reports like this every day. Victim’s pasts are not only combed over by detectives given the case, but also by the prosecuting team to see any areas that might come out against the victim in trial. Inconsistencies (if any,) are again probed for further clarification. Rape crisis counselors are dispatched to the scene where if a victim is fabricating any story they must definitely show no holes to a trained counselor.
The rape victim’s body becomes a crime scene. Intensive efforts are put forth into examining every scrape, cut and marking both inside and on a victim’s body. Through a collection of fibers, swabs, picks, scraping, scans and photographs every inch of the victim’s body evidence is gathered, and completed in the most intrusive of ways. Anyone that claims a woman makes a false rape claim should first go through SANE (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner) themselves before making such a nonsensical statement.
Once the rape allegation is made family and friends will begin to choose sides. Some will choose to blame a victim for what she wore, drank or mixed signals sent to the perpetrator. Others will worry that she has become damaged goods. Many of the victim’s acquaintances and co-workers will be uncomfortable that she made herself a target by not taking “proper precautions” to avoid getting raped. Eventually that uncomfortable gossip will lead to shunning and eventual alienation. Community shunning will occur once the assault reaches the media. Victims must endure community banishment and a constant barrage of victim-blaming statements. Defense lawyers know this, and they rely heavily on the victim-blaming culture to help spin their client’s temporarily soiled name back to dignity. Good lawyers spin a few prevailing myths on rape to their advantage during trial never missing a beat to question the victim on what they were wearing, why the delay in reporting, and if they knew the assailant prior to the attack etc.
A victim knows all this before ever sitting down and giving a statement to police. They know it, and fear it which is why 80%of rape victims never find the strength to report it. If someone is crazy enough to want to put themselves through the experience of creating a false report they must also possess certain talents like being part sociopath and Academy Award Winning Actor to fool not only the police, detective team, District Attorney, Grand Jury, SANE/hospital personnel, rape crisis counselors, therapist, friends and family, co-workers, and community members but she must also fool herself. A victim must keep up the sham with strategically planned outburst performances of PTSD(Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) and RTS (Rape Trauma Syndrome) never letting anyone close to them in on their revenge scheme. They must avoid dating or reclaiming their life in any way as to make themselves still seem damaged. A routine that must be dragged on for months even years as rape trials usually take that long to prosecute.
Now anyone up for this revenge scheme?
Even with my attempt to temporarily cloak myself in a false rape accuser’s dressing I still have trouble with one thing. Wouldn’t it just be easier to get revenge by planting crack rock in his car or sleeping with his best friend? Surely there are simpler ways of revenge ones that don’t whack away at the dignity, livelihood, spirit, relationships a victim has spent a lifetime building. And then I wonder something else if a woman can be so good a liar to seek revenge then why can’t a perpetrator be just as good avoiding justice?
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