A crime against men?

[Jamie123]

It's politically incorrect to say too much on the subject of false rape accusation. This is because it diverts attention away from the real problem, which is under-reporting and (according to someone-or-other's "research") 91% of all rapes go unreported. Giving media attention to false accusers perpetuates the myth that "all women are liars" (ever heard it?) and makes every real victim think twice about coming forward.

But there are nevertheless times when it can't be kept quiet, and we must resort instead to damage-control: A woman has made an allegation against a man. He has been arrested, subjected to an intimate body searchs, and put in jail to await trial. The newspapers have been informed and his neighbours are now discussing how they [imitates the Scottie-dog from Lady and the Tramp] "knew he was a wrong-un from the start".

The woman then changes her story. Police begin to get suspicious of her. DNA tests come back negative. The woman changes her story yet again, and finally admits that she made the whole thing up. The man is released (though his life will never be the same again) and the woman is arrested and charged with perverting the course of justice. She pleads guilty in court, and the judge imposes a jail sentence. But how would the media report it? Here's a typical example...

Jailing [...the accused women...] for 11 months, a judge told them: "It was a wicked thing to do to accuse that man of what you accused him of. It is a crime against women in general. Do you know why? Lawyers acting for alleged victims of sex offences", he said, "are entitled to say: 'Read your newspapers, members of the jury, women make things up'." (Google it if you want a reference. It's not the only example of its sort.)

I don't disagree with any of this. It's all very good and true. But what about the poor guy who's been traumatized by by his arrest, spent days or even weeks in jail, subjected to humiliating and painful medical procedures, ostracized by his neighbours who - though they say they accept his innocence (quietly forgetting about how they posted dog excrement through his letterbox) - will never see him in the same light again? Isn't he at least in some sense also a victim?

Who knows...perhaps the judge said something about his sufferings, but if he did the newspapers never reported it. You see, the public are only allowed to feel anger towards a woman if her crimes are against other women! Or children (as with the convictions of Angela Cannings and Sally Clarke, both now thankfully overturned). It's about time the mainstream media said something about crimes against men!

(OK....that's my rant for the day over with....)

Edited June 1, 2011 by Jamie123

[FunkyTown]

You're right, Jamie.

It does make me wonder: How many of these false accusations don't result in people changing their story and, because this particular crime is often 'Guilty before proven innocent', how many people are rotting in prison for a crime they didn't commit?

My little sister went to a school where her teacher was accused of molesting one of the kids. He was disbarred from teaching, lost his job and became a pariah in the community. Eventually, a kid came forward explaining that this girl was making the accusation to get back at him for giving her poor marks. This was in Sarnia, Ontario. How many people didn't read the newspaper article that shed light on his innocence?

Regardless, he never taught in Sarnia again. I'm uncertain he ever taught again - I don't know if I could, after that.

And this happened again in the news:

South Lakes' Lanigan Still Reeling From False Accusation - Reston, VA Patch

These particular accusations, and the problem with them, is that everybody assumes that 'Nobody would ever make up these sorts of accusations'. The moment someone gets accused of it, most people immediately feel hatred for these people rise in them because 'Nobody would make up accusations like those'.

It's unfair and even angering. It is something that you cannot defend yourself against. It is something that can come from out of nowhere. And only the most obvious of these crimes comes to light because only those who cannot keep a story straight, or who tell others their secret, result in this coming to light. All others are sacrificed on the altar of our own failure to understand that this is a serious problem.

[NeuroTypical]

Our justice system stinks when it comes to sex crimes. Once you think about the low conviction rate, and the various difficulties a victim endures after reporting, the low reporting rate makes more sense.

There is a place where I've heard about justice being dispensed though. Rape crisis center group counseling sessions. Every now and then, some chick decides to get even with a guy and cries rape, and then goes to a crisis center as part of the act. From what I'm told, groups of rape victims might be traumatized and at the low point of their lives, but they're not stupid. It does not go well for false reporters in those rooms.

[applepansy]

I personally know of two cases where false accusations resulted in devastating results for the accused. Its almost a witch hunt.

[ADoyle90815]

You're right, Jamie.

It does make me wonder: How many of these false accusations don't result in people changing their story and, because this particular crime is often 'Guilty before proven innocent', how many people are rotting in prison for a crime they didn't commit?

My little sister went to a school where her teacher was accused of molesting one of the kids. He was disbarred from teaching, lost his job and became a pariah in the community. Eventually, a kid came forward explaining that this girl was making the accusation to get back at him for giving her poor marks. This was in Sarnia, Ontario. How many people didn't read the newspaper article that shed light on his innocence?

Regardless, he never taught in Sarnia again. I'm uncertain he ever taught again - I don't know if I could, after that.

And this happened again in the news:

South Lakes' Lanigan Still Reeling From False Accusation - Reston, VA Patch

These particular accusations, and the problem with them, is that everybody assumes that 'Nobody would ever make up these sorts of accusations'. The moment someone gets accused of it, most people immediately feel hatred for these people rise in them because 'Nobody would make up accusations like those'.

It's unfair and even angering. It is something that you cannot defend yourself against. It is something that can come from out of nowhere. And only the most obvious of these crimes comes to light because only those who cannot keep a story straight, or who tell others their secret, result in this coming to light. All others are sacrificed on the altar of our own failure to understand that this is a serious problem.

My brother decided to work for the county instead of using his teaching credential because of this issue, as it would take one false accusation of child abuse to ruin his reputation and career. In a way, it's a blessing as he makes more money with the county than he would have as a teacher, and he still has job security while my SIL and other teachers were laid off.

[ruthiechan]

Then there's the other end of it. A man is raped. Oh, but if it's a woman raping a man, that can't be because she can't penetrate him.

I remember in my Adolescence class we watched a vid about a teenager who murdered his mother, but she had been sexually abusing him and he finally snapped. He was put in jail for life for it. Why? Because he's a guy killing a woman.

Not only that but I recall a classmate behind me say that "if he really wanted to stop it he could've stopped it." Why? Because he's a guy and therefore bigger and stronger than his mother. I turned around, shocked, and told her that was sexist. She simply said, well it's true.

Men apparently can't be raped or sexually abused (or abused in another way) by women.

It's a horrible thing to believe and leads to grossly under reporting by men.

[Iggy]

Ruthie, men can be raped- whether by a woman or by a man. Yes it can happen. Just like women can be raped by women. Penetration with a foreign object-

I had read about a man who had been repeatedly raped and abused by his wife. She would threaten then burn him with a hot clothes iron if he didn't do what she wanted when she wanted it.

This all came out in trial where he was accused of her murder. Yes, he did kill her. He admitted that. He killed her to stop the abuse and the rapes. She used foreign objects to rape him with. That was one sick, hate filled woman.

I never did read the follow up reports as to the final report- whether he was acquitted or sentenced to prison.

Oh, but if it's a woman raping a man, that can't be because she can't penetrate him.

This is sarcasm right

[ruthiechan]

I never did read the follow up reports as to the final report- whether he was acquitted or sentenced to prison.

This is sarcasm right

Yes, that was sarcasm.

In the case I cited above the mother didn't do anything like that. She forced a sexual relationship on her son. You don't have to have any kind of penetration to be sexually assaulted.