False rape accusation...who would you believe?

Becks610 · 01-04-2018 10:20pm

sheroman01 wrote: »

When I heard the Chad Evans case, I thought to myself, f*ck, this happens all the time. This happens so commonly. But he got done for it. Probably because he was a footballer. I felt sorry for the guy. Anything I voiced my opinion on this, I was slated, they couldn't believe I was defending a racist. As if they knew. Delighted he ended up being acquitted in the end.

Was the alleged victim found to have made a false allegation? I know he was acquitted on re trial but don’t know the full details and a google search didn’t locate it.

silverharp · 02-04-2018 11:15am

also One of the English papers is reporting that she(DPP Alison Saunders) is not going to have her contract extended when it expires this year despite a request from her to extend it.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5569145/Met-abandons-policy-automatically-believing-rape-complainants.html?ito=social-twitter_dailymailUK

Scotland Yard abandons policy of automatically believing rape complainants as commissioner Cressida Dick says 'a clumsy misunderstanding is no police matter'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5569145/Met-abandons-policy-automatically-believing-rape-complainants.html#ixzz5BVbbR2UX
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

otto_26 · 04-04-2018 1:58pm

This is an important topic but the sad thing about this thread is you won't find any of the usual men bashing members in this thread they don't want to know, the woman is always the victim.

The only reason a real rape victim has to go through hell and back in court to get justice is solely at the feet of woman, every year thousands of woman all over the world falsely accuse men of rape and get caught lying in court.

Sadly, for a lot of woman in Ireland their anger towards the recent rape trial is not on the crime itself but on the gender. They are not interested in the facts of the case just that the men are guilty.

My female first cousin is on way more money than me because she worked hard in school and works harder at her job she doesn't get paid more than me because she's a woman. There seems to be this new fad going around Ireland now where woman are starting to suggest they could have been "president but the white man beat me down." (Nice lazy excuse for their failings)

People like Judge Judy have no time for feminists because she knows if you work hard no one stops you from reaching the top.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhktNOx_Le4

Becks610 · 06-04-2018 2:25pm

Do thousands of women all over the world make false allegations though? I would be interested to see the stats on this?

Wibbs · 06-04-2018 3:18pm

Reliable stats would be almost impossible to gather B. Who is going to admit it? Going on trial results alone won't tell you much. Not guilty doesn't always mean innocent, the evidence could be lacking. It's much like the 1 in 4/5/6 women have been sexually assaulted stat, based on extremely thin evidence(the original Koss study was a joke). Ditto for the "only [insert percentage here] of rapes get guilty verdicts".

....... · 06-04-2018 3:28pm

This post has been deleted.

otto_26 · 06-04-2018 8:49pm

....... wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_accusation_of_rape

Under heading Journal of Forensic Psychology (2017) around 5,000 false rape allegations in USA every year according to FBI.

Sad that because of these horrible woman real victims have to go through hell in court and real rapists get off scott free.

iptba · 06-04-2018 9:14pm

otto_26 wrote: »

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_accusation_of_rape

Under heading Journal of Forensic Psychology (2017) around 5,000 false rape allegations in USA every year according to FBI.

Sad that because of these horrible woman real victims have to go through hell in court and real rapists get off scott free.

Also sad, of course, for the people falsely accused.

otto_26 · 06-04-2018 9:22pm

iptba wrote: »

Also sad, of course, for the people falsely accused.

Even sadder than it seems to be just all men chatting in his thread, while all the woman have their pitchforks out in other threads.

iptba · 06-04-2018 9:37pm

Flanagan to review all aspects of sexual assault trials
Minister for Justice to consider allowing rape victims to have own legal representation
Mon, Apr 2, 2018, 01:00

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/flanagan-to-review-all-aspects-of-sexual-assault-trials-1.3447539

Speaking to The Irish Times, Mr Flanagan said there was a more robust system in place in the Republic than that in Northern Ireland.

However, he believed it was appropriate to review all aspects of how “such deeply sensitive trials are conducted” and whether further protections should be offered to a victim of sexual assault.

Currently, rape victims act as witnesses in the State’s prosecution but are not entitled to their own legal representation, and this will come up for consideration.

I'm not sure whether the "victim" word was used by the Minister or chosen by the journalist/newspaper. It is not a neutral word as the complainant isn't necessarily a victim.

iptba · 09-04-2018 11:40pm

Rape victims can find court worse than attack – report
Rape Crisis Network Ireland group calls for ‘radical’ alternatives to trial-based procedure

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/rape-victims-can-find-court-worse-than-attack-report-1.3454813

I've no idea whether these proposals might make it more difficult for defendants to defend themselves. I am somewhat suspicious when rape crisis groups make proposals as they, I presume, are more concerned about the complainant than about the defendant.

Outlaw Pete · 10-04-2018 12:48am

Becks610 wrote: »

Was the alleged victim found to have made a false allegation?

She never made an allegation of rape.

Her account was that she woke up in the hotel the next morning and did not know where she was. So she went down to reception to ask them if they knew who had brought her to the hotel and also if they knew where her handbag was (she couldn't find it). Later that night she contacted the police to report her bag stolen, told them that the last thing she could remember was eating pizza in a Kebab shop and that she felt that her drink must have been spiked. Toxicology reports however only found cocaine and cannabis. The police brought the lads in and after they told them that they had sex with the woman, they were both charged with rape.

iptba · 18-04-2018 3:22am

A rape trial is not a public entertainment. Chiefly, though, and I've kept this for the last, what dismayed me most about this case was the response of many so-called feminists.

I regard myself as a feminist. So feminist, in fact - such a believer in equality - that I actually believe women too can lie.

In my view when we get to the stage where we feel compelled to "believe her" just because of her gender, we haven't just lost the plot.

We've lost sight of the whole concept of justice. And, yes, of course those who complain of sexual assault should be treated gently. But questions that need to be asked must be asked.

Justice must be done. Justice should not be gender specific.

One of the telling responses to this case has been the very many women - young women especially - who have expressed concern about the refusal of the social media gauleiters to respect the findings of the jury.

So no, this hasn't been a case that pitched women against men. It's not a "women's issue", it's a wider justice issue. It's been a case about where we, each of us, believe fairness lies.

From:
https://www.msn.com/en-ie/sport/rugby-union/were-ireland-and-ulster-rugby-chiefs-right-to-sack-jackson-and-olding/ar-AAvYw92

iptba · 04-06-2018 11:05pm

Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan is considering the introduction of advocates who would attend court to assist alleged rape victims in the wake of the recent high-profile trial in Belfast.

[..]

Under the new procedures, defendants in rape and other sexual-offences cases who choose to act as their own legal representatives no longer have the automatic right to directly cross-examine their alleged victim. It is now up to the judge to decide if this will be allowed, with free legal aid being offered to defendants who have been refused permission to conduct cross-examinations themselves.

From:
https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/alleged-rape-victims-to-get-support-in-court-in-wake-of-belfast-case-36974076.html

KrustyUCC · 05-06-2018 4:55pm

HOW MANY LIVES RUINED? Nearly FIFTY rape cases abandoned in just 2 months – and 14 men released from prison – after CPS found to have withheld vital evidence in inquiry

The Crown Prosecution Service launched a review of every rape case after a number of high-profile cases collapsed

After reviewing every single ongoing rape case, they stopped 47 where the facts hadn't been disclosed properly.

In each of those cases, the defendants should have been told earlier that police had found evidence which suggested they were not guilty.

In the wake of the probe, it has emerged:

More than a dozen suspects were in JAIL at the time they were cleared of wrongdoing
Prosecutors failed to find phone data which could have exonerated alleged rapists
London was the worst-hit area with half of the cleared suspects coming from the capital
Police will need extra training to help them spot cases which shouldn't go forward
Chief prosecutor Alison Saunders is being blamed for encouraging sloppy practices

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/6455022/cps-rape-cases-collapse-new-evidence-disclosure/

iptba · 07-06-2018 3:42pm

It will be interesting to see how this goes:

Identity of sex offenders to be revealed
https://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/identity-of-sex-offenders-to-be-revealed-471591.html

A Department of Justice spokesperson said last night the move will be targeted specifically at serious sex offenders who have left prison and will only be used in extremely rare circumstances.

The decision is likely to lead to support and criticism in equal measure, with victims and families expected to welcome the increased transparency and civil rights groups likely to raise concerns over the increased potential for vigilantism.

iptba · 15-07-2018 1:06am

https://twitter.com/meetgoogle/status/1016554157912682496
Ad does not seem to be specific to any one type of false reporting, but still good to see. This is in Manchester in place you can't see that.

15-07-2018 9:28am

iptba wrote: »

https://twitter.com/meetgoogle/status/1016554157912682496
Ad does not seem to be specific to any one type of false reporting, but still good to see. This is in Manchester in place you can't see that.

TBH, I don't like these kind of ads. There's just too much space for people to criticise, and gives permission to paste up a guys face with rapist or child molester written all over it. And then in smaller writing a disclaimer.

iptba · 22-07-2018 1:52pm

'I lost everything': Victim criticises CPS over evidence failures

A man cleared of rape after vital evidence was released just days before his trial warns of the consequences of official blunders.

https://news.sky.com/story/cps-boss-saunders-criticised-over-rape-case-evidence-failings-11442928

Mr Armstrong said he had a promising career, but "overnight that exploded".

He said: "I lost my job, I lost my home, I lost everything.

"The consequences when this goes wrong are devastating.

iptba · 22-07-2018 1:56pm

Director of public prosecutions criticised for 'insufficient leadership' over failings that saw evidence withheld from defence lawyers

'Delayed and collapsed trials that result from disclosure errors only service to put a further strain on already tight resources'

Lizzie Dearden Home Affairs Correspondent
@lizziedearden
2 days ago

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/director-of-public-prosecutions-over-longterm-failings-that-saw-vital-evidence-withheld-from-defence-a8455611.html

Police are legally obliged to examine all evidence and pass it on, whether it supports or hinders prosecution, but have been accused of “unconscious bias” against suspects by the Criminal Bar Association.

Mr Allan’s alleged victim had told friends she wanted and enjoyed sex she later reported as rape.

Later that month, a man who had been in prison for rape for four years was released after the discovery of messages showing the sex was consensual.

iptba · 08-08-2018 1:00pm

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/education/sexual-consent-workshops-for-students-should-be-compulsory-after-troubling-report-minister-37194783.html

More generally, Ms O'Connor said she wanted all colleges to demonstrate a uniform minimum standard of best practice to address issues such as sexual harassment and assault.

She said it was both timely and appropriate to formulate a standard of institutional responsibility and to incorporate it formally into governance and regulatory requirements "for anybody delivering publicly funded third-level education".

I wasn't sure which thread to post this to.

In the US, there have been a lot of people complaining about what have been described as kangaroo courts that have been set up in colleges where defendants, often male, sometimes don't get due process.

iptba · 22-09-2018 3:43pm

(14 minutes)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOxUVBrXtzk

He was a very lucky man that he was able to record the alleged victim subsequently admitting the claim was false, though this was many years later after he had spent 5 years in prison.

Airyfairy12 · 22-09-2018 11:35pm

I wouldnt be looking at American standards of prosecution. They have an entirely different justice system that isnt in favor of either men or women, Broke Turner and Donald Trump are great examples of this and African american men have no chance as far as the american justice system is concerned, there's extremes on both sides.
Consider Ireland and the fact that rapists are rarely prosecuted and when they are, they get very short sentences - Larry Murphy, an extreme example got 15 years for rape and attempted murder, he's also suspected of the murder of a number of missing women but he was let out in 10. He's currently living in Mullingar. Paul Moore, a serial rapist has had multiple convictions but is still walking the streets. Most rapists, if convicted get 1 - 5 years and usually let off with a suspended sentence or have their sentence reduced.

Rape victims go through torment in the courts if they report a rape, theyre questioned and disbelieved even when there is evidence and everything goes against the rapists character. Even outside the courts rape victims are disbelieved, accused of being attention seekers or slut shamed. Lilly Allen is currently in the media for opening up about her experience with rape at the age of 14, the comments on facebook under the article are everything from slut shaming to accusing her of lying about it. I cant imagine why any woman would put herself through that ordeal over a false accusation unless she was seriously mentally ill.

As for your friend, if you feel she is has been raped you need to tell someone as thats a very serious accusation and not to be taken lightly so I would speak to her and suggest talking it out with an adult, maybe the school guidance counselor or call women's aid. If its discovered she's lying she will have destroyed her own reputation and that's something she herself will carry around with her as people dont forget things like that but you dont know that she is lying and I wouldnt automatically assume she is - thats not to say he's guilty. Id look at it from both sides and inform an adult of the situation.

iptba · 03-10-2018 2:09pm

Accusations, false or otherwise, are now getting a lot of attention in the US:

The president said: “It’s a very scary time for young men in America when you can be guilty of something that you may not be guilty of. You can be somebody that was perfect your entire life and somebody could accuse you of something … and you’re automatically guilty.”

Mr Trump also pretended to be a son asking his mother how to respond to an accusation.

Steve King, a Republican member of the US House of Representatives from Iowa, said: “If Kavanaugh is not confirmed, every man is subject to seeing their life’s work and their reputation destroyed by an unsubstantiated allegation.”

Republican Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana declared: “This is no country for creepy old men. Or young men. Or middle-aged men. But this is no country at all.”

And Mr Trump’s oldest son, Donald Trump Jr, told the Daily Mail this week: “I’ve got boys, and I’ve got girls. And when I see what’s going on right now, it’s scary,” adding that at the moment he fears more for his sons.

https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/world/watch-donald-trump-mock-fords-claims-against-kavanaugh-as-he-warns-of-scary-time-for-men-873193.html

iptba · 06-10-2018 9:03pm

I see there is a new movement and hashtag in the U.S. regarding men who are accused:
#HimToo
https://twitter.com/realhaleyadams/status/1044675511333531649?s=21

professore · 08-10-2018 10:08am

orubiru wrote: »

I'm not sure how to properly consider this.

Normally If a person cannot verbally give consent then there is no consent in my opinion. Of course there may be situations when a person cannot verbally give consent but does give consent in some other way. In general we could just focus on verbal consent for now.

I do feel like if someone is drunk and/or on drugs and they give verbal consent then they have still consented. It seems like a bad situation if later on I could say "well I definitely said you could do those things but I was drunk at the time so I'll see you in court".

If I arrived home blind drunk one night and decided to call up Babestation for an hour to chat to one of the women there then i seriously doubt I'd be able to contact them the next day and get my money back because "I was too drunk to consent".

You could apply the same logic to shopping on Amazon while out of your mind on drugs. They would be unlikely to give you your refund because you couldn't consent due to drug usage. Right?

Now, obviously rape is a far more serious issue than random drunken spending on the internet but at least some of the logic must apply.

If it ever becomes possible that a man can ask a woman if she wants to have sex and she says "yes I would definitely like to have sex right now with you" and this man can be convicted of a sex crime because that woman was drunk when she said those words then I think we have taken our society to a bad place.

I'm not saying that we are at that point. I'm not sure if we could even get to that point. How do you enforce those rules? If a young lady has had a few glasses of wine and then the guy from Uni that she really fancies shows up at the bar? She can't do anything because it's illegal?

What if she tells this guy that she hasn't been drinking and they have sex and then a third party reports them to the police? Would we encourage third parties to report instances of intoxicated sex in the same way that we might encourage people to report drunk drivers etc?

It would seem logical to me that if it becomes easier to abuse a legal system without proportionate consequences then the number of incidences of abuse of that system would increase.

If you get in a car drunk and kill someone you can't mount a defence you were too drunk to drive therefore you are innocent.

professore · 08-10-2018 10:10am

Airyfairy12 wrote: »

I wouldnt be looking at American standards of prosecution. They have an entirely different justice system that isnt in favor of either men or women, Broke Turner and Donald Trump are great examples of this and African american men have no chance as far as the american justice system is concerned, there's extremes on both sides.
Consider Ireland and the fact that rapists are rarely prosecuted and when they are, they get very short sentences - Larry Murphy, an extreme example got 15 years for rape and attempted murder, he's also suspected of the murder of a number of missing women but he was let out in 10. He's currently living in Mullingar. Paul Moore, a serial rapist has had multiple convictions but is still walking the streets. Most rapists, if convicted get 1 - 5 years and usually let off with a suspended sentence or have their sentence reduced.

Rape victims go through torment in the courts if they report a rape, theyre questioned and disbelieved even when there is evidence and everything goes against the rapists character. Even outside the courts rape victims are disbelieved, accused of being attention seekers or slut shamed. Lilly Allen is currently in the media for opening up about her experience with rape at the age of 14, the comments on facebook under the article are everything from slut shaming to accusing her of lying about it. I cant imagine why any woman would put herself through that ordeal over a false accusation unless she was seriously mentally ill.

As for your friend, if you feel she is has been raped you need to tell someone as thats a very serious accusation and not to be taken lightly so I would speak to her and suggest talking it out with an adult, maybe the school guidance counselor or call women's aid. If its discovered she's lying she will have destroyed her own reputation and that's something she herself will carry around with her as people dont forget things like that but you dont know that she is lying and I wouldnt automatically assume she is - thats not to say he's guilty. Id look at it from both sides and inform an adult of the situation.

I see 99% support and sympathy online for people who say they've been raped. There is always the 1% who will send you death threats even if you are posting knitting tutorials.

PlaneSpeeking · 08-10-2018 4:08pm

Posted recently that I felt sorry for Cristiano Ronaldo - and that I'd prefer to go back to a time when due process ruled and social media hashtags could not convict.

Friend of mine called me a rapist supporter and said "as a woman you should believe the survivors".

There's no way through moronic "logic" like that is there ?

py2006 · 08-10-2018 4:30pm

PlaneSpeeking wrote: »

Posted recently that I felt sorry for Cristiano Ronaldo - and that I'd prefer to go back to a time when due process ruled and social media hashtags could not convict.

Friend of mine called me a rapist supporter and said "as a woman you should believe the survivors".

There's no way through moronic "logic" like that is there ?

Quite a nasty thing for your friend to say, are you still friends? I would have blocked that person for making that accusation

PlaneSpeeking · 09-10-2018 8:43am

py2006 wrote: »

Quite a nasty thing for your friend to say, are you still friends? I would have blocked that person for making that accusation

I did block them, I know them in real life so I'll probably see them again.

They do a lot of that crap tbh. They vote based on what Facebook says. Scary.

lalababa · 09-10-2018 9:44am

A local man was accused of rape by a girl (his girlfriend at the time I think), then blackmailed him so she wouldn't go to the guards ( or persue it with them ... can't remember exactly).
The man/his advisor/gaurds set up a sting recording where she incriminated herself.
Gaurds gave her a warning.
No prosecution!
Yer man had it hanging over him for months before, probably suicidal!
The Ulster rugby players couldn't work for more than a year before trial, then got the sack when found innocent.Basically had to leave the country. Let down by the IRFU.

PlaneSpeeking · 09-10-2018 9:48am

lalababa wrote: »

A local man was accused of rape by a girl (his girlfriend at the time I think), then blackmailed him so she wouldn't go to the guards ( or persue it with them ... can't remember exactly).
The man/his advisor/gaurds set up a sting recording where she incriminated herself.
Gaurds gave her a warning.
No prosecution!
Yer man had it hanging over him for months before, probably suicidal!
The Ulster rugby players couldn't work for more than a year before trial, then got the sack when found innocent.Basically had to leave the country. Let down by the IRFU.

That was a disgrace alright, but expected at the moment.

The ballsy women of my mother's and grandmother's generations would be sickened by the women of today and their antics.

Pelvis · 09-10-2018 9:59am

lalababa wrote: »

The Ulster rugby players couldn't work for more than a year before trial, then got the sack when found innocent.Basically had to leave the country. Let down by the IRFU.

They may have been found not guilty, but they had shown themselves to be a group of twats regardless. That alone was reason enough for their clubs to cut ties.

py2006 · 09-10-2018 10:10am

lalababa wrote: »

A local man was accused of rape by a girl (his girlfriend at the time I think), then blackmailed him so she wouldn't go to the guards ( or persue it with them ... can't remember exactly).
The man/his advisor/gaurds set up a sting recording where she incriminated herself.
Gaurds gave her a warning.
No prosecution!
Yer man had it hanging over him for months before, probably suicidal!

Did this make the media?

PlaneSpeeking · 09-10-2018 10:40am

Pelvis wrote: »

They may have been found not guilty, but they had shown themselves to be a group of twats regardless. That alone was reason enough for their clubs to cut ties.

Show me in the penal code where being a twat is illegal ?

Making a false rape claim certainly is. Blackmail definitely is.

Pelvis · 09-10-2018 10:46am

PlaneSpeeking wrote: »

Show me in the penal code where being a twat is illegal ?

Show me where I said it was illegal?

PlaneSpeeking · 09-10-2018 11:00am

Pelvis wrote: »

Show me where I said it was illegal?

Then why should someone lose their livelihood for perfectly legal behaviour ?

GreeBo · 09-10-2018 11:05am

professore wrote: »

If you get in a car drunk and kill someone you can't mount a defence you were too drunk to drive therefore you are innocent.

Anyone can independently determine that you killed someone, at the moment only 1 person decides whether an encounter was rape/assault or not and they can do this after the fact.

PlaneSpeeking · 09-10-2018 11:08am

GreeBo wrote: »

Anyone can independently determine that you killed someone, at the moment only 1 person decides whether an encounter was rape/assault or not and they can do this after the fact.

And only if they have a cervix.

ELM327 · 09-10-2018 11:09am

This is why false accusations are disgusting and the horrible women behind it should be hung drawn and quartered. Nasty nasty nasty women.

https://twitter.com/PrisonPlanet/status/1049600016782888960

meeeeh · 09-10-2018 11:11am

PlaneSpeeking wrote: »

Then why should someone lose their livelihood for perfectly legal behaviour ?

Are you advocating that companies should be forced to hire people who are bad for business?

Pelvis · 09-10-2018 11:11am

PlaneSpeeking wrote: »

Then why should someone lose their livelihood for perfectly legal behaviour ?

It's not illegal to call my boss a cunt, but I'd probably lose my job none the less.

They may not have been found guilty but their overall behaviour was not up to par, an employer is within their rights let them go in that case.

PlaneSpeeking · 09-10-2018 11:12am

ELM327 wrote: »

This is why false accusations are disgusting and the horrible women behind it should be hung drawn and quartered. Nasty nasty nasty women.

https://twitter.com/PrisonPlanet/status/1049600016782888960

This is what happens when we "believe all women".

May they be reunited in Heaven - or wherever your belief system says.

silverharp · 14-10-2018 8:47am

crazy lady accuses 9 year old boy of sexual assault, moral panic much?

https://twitter.com/AndrewRamosTV/status/1050872606017146880

iptba · 14-10-2018 11:15pm

Mum jailed for making false rape accusation against 18-year-old man

https://www.independent.ie/world-news/europe/britain/mum-jailed-for-making-false-rape-accusation-against-18yearold-man-37415722.html

Mr Osborne said: "It's turned my life upside down.

"Yes I had sex with her, but I was not expecting to be accused of rape because it was consensual.

"I was given a curfew on bail which had an impact on my work and social life.

"One employer said he no longer required me because I couldn't work the hours.

"Yes I did wrong by my partner, and I feel ashamed by my actions.

"I knew I was innocent but it didn't stop me thinking about the worst case scenario and being sent to prison for something I didn't do.

"If there was no CCTV in this case she may have been believed and I would be spending years in prison. It would have ruined my life."

Jim Bob Scratcher · 14-10-2018 11:31pm

iptba wrote: »

https://www.independent.ie/world-news/europe/britain/mum-jailed-for-making-false-rape-accusation-against-18yearold-man-37415722.html

Shtate of her!

KrustyUCC · 15-10-2018 2:32pm

iptba wrote: »

https://www.independent.ie/world-news/europe/britain/mum-jailed-for-making-false-rape-accusation-against-18yearold-man-37415722.html

The judge is right

"Rape is a repulsive act. Victims of rape should be treated with every possible consideration by the justice system.

"But equally, a false allegation can have dreadful consequences.

"Every occasion a proven false allegation is made can have an insidious effect on public confidence in genuine complaints.

One eyed Jack · 17-10-2018 12:24am

This was interesting. It appears that according to surveys commissioned by the Economist, people in America in the last year have become more sceptical of claims of sexual harassment -

Yet surveys suggest that this year-long storm of allegations, confessions and firings has actually made Americans more sceptical about sexual harassment. In the first week of November 2017, YouGov polled 1,500 Americans about their attitudes on the matter, on behalf of The Economist. In the final week of September 2018, it conducted a similar poll again. When it came to questions about the consequences of sexual assault and misconduct, there was a small but clear shift against victims.

The share of American adults responding that men who sexually harassed women at work 20 years ago should keep their jobs has risen from 28% to 36%. The proportion who think that women who complain about sexual harassment cause more problems than they solve has grown from 29% to 31%. And 18% of Americans now think that false accusations of sexual assault are a bigger problem than attacks that go unreported or unpunished, compared with 13% in November last year. (According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Centre, an American non-profit organisation, 63% of sexual assaults are not reported to police, whereas between 2% and 10% of assault cases are falsely reported.)

Surprisingly, these changes in opinion against victims have been slightly stronger among women than men. Rather than breaking along gendered lines, the #MeToo divide increasingly appears to be a partisan one. On each of these three questions, the gap between Trump and Clinton voters is at least six times greater than the one between genders.

Source: After a year of #MeToo, American opinion has shifted against victims

Bold emphasis my own, and I can’t say I’m the least bit surprised.

walshb · 19-10-2018 2:57pm

The single biggest problem today is that word rape doesn't mean what it used to. The lines have been blurred so much....

There are many men who have been found guilty of rape based off he said she said. Drink involved, was their consent etc etc. As if men and women need contracts before they engage in sexual acts.

In other words every single man today is a potential rapist going by the "rules" in play..

Rape to me is when a man forces himself upon a woman without her consent and with her resisting.

Without real evidence of force then I think these convictions are going to have a real element of doubt.

GreeBo · 19-10-2018 2:59pm

Rape and False accusations should carry the same penalties.

False rape accusation...who would you believe?

Comments