The real tragedy in the rape milieu: false rape claimants are rarely brought to justice

We are constantly subjected to politicized screeds in the mainstream media that bemoan the purportedly "low" percentage of rape charges brought to trial. The UK is hell-bent on finding a way -- it seems any way -- to jack up rape convictions, even if it means trotting out a card-carrying radical feminist to author a "study" showing that women hardly ever lie about rape and that the UK's law enforcement apparatus doesn't care about rape victims. See here. The problem with studies of this nature is that they don't give a damn about the presumed innocent, many of whom turn out to be factually innocent -- but, hey, who are we to quibble about something so unimportant?

The premise underlying all this hand-wringing is that rapists are getting away with their foul deeds with impunity, and that law enforcement turns its back on an entire gender at risk of degrading sexual predation. This premise is faulty for innumerable reasons beyond the scope of this post, but one of the most important is that most rape claims are of the acquaintance variety where the only issue in dispute is consent, and that issue often comes down to "he said/she said" evidence. Is it at all surprising that rape charges are brought to trial with less frequency than cases where there is objectively verifiable physical evidence tending to implicate someone? Like, for example, finger prints on the murder weapon? Funny, but the average person on the street understands this; "enlightened" Women's Studies professors who get paid to figure such things out pretend not to. They'd prefer to wallow in a tar pit of victimhood.

But no matter. It seems obvious to anyone who follows the false rape epidemic closely that the real tragedy in the rape milieu is that false rape claims are rarely, if ever, charged. They are viewed as a nuisance to police and prosecutors since the typical false rape accuser is a young woman who would does commit violent crime. She is regarded as more mixed-up than dangerous.

The problem, of course, is that once unleashed, a rape lie can destroy lives with a stunning, tragic completeness. And when young women think they can lie about rape with impunity, because they know these crimes aren't treated seriously, there is no deterrence for other rape liars to stop. Hence the false rape epidemic we find ourselves in, where objective, unbiased studies show that up top half, or more, of all rape claims are false.

Even little "white" lies about rape that don't identify a specific male sometimes end up with police targeting some hapless male who fits the fake description. Some of those men or boys are arrested; some are even convicted.

The irony is that when members of the gender-feminist/sexual-assault-industrial complex do acknowledge a false rape claim, they make a point to say how it hurts the cause of rape victims from coming forward. But if they were truly concerned about rape victims coming forward, why don't they take action to stop it? This is common sense: it is difficult to get the public to presume the validity of a rape claim when injustices to innocent men are common -- and they are common. So what is the solution? The gender-feminist/sexual-assault-industrial complex's solution is to put their heads in the sand and keep on pretending that false rape claims are a "myth."

The bottom line? The vast majority of false rape claims are not charged if the issue comes down to the woman's credibility. If the police took the same cavalier attitude toward rape that they take toward false rape claims, every police force would be overrun with angry feminist protests. But of course virtually no one cares about the men and boys at risk of false rape claims so there are no protests, no politicized screeds bemoaning the low percentage of false rape claims brought to trial. Nothing. Most people don't even realize it's a problem until it happens to a son, a boyfriend, a husband or father. Sadly some don't realize it's a problem until it's too late.

Here is a news account of a claim that police believe is false but they don't think they have enough evidence to obtain a conviction, so no charges are brought.

False rape report charge dropped

Assistant prosecutor says there's a lack of evidence.

A Greene County woman who spurred panic by submitting an allegedly false rape claim will not face consequences.

Prosecutors on Friday dismissed a misdemeanor charge of making a false report against Karla M. Forest, 29, finding there was not sufficient evidence to prove the woman's tale was fake.

In July 2007, Forest called authorities to report a stranger had emerged from the brush in her backyard and raped her. Deputies found the woman bound and partially nude behind a barn near her East Farm Road 80 home.

The Greene County Sheriff's Office and other agencies dumped hundreds of work hours into the ensuing investigation but came up with nothing.

In the mean time, news of the attack caused panic in the woman's neighborhood. A rape victim who lived nearby would not come out of her home for several days, Sheriff Jim Arnott said.

Finally, in July 2008, prosecutors filed charges against Forest, alleging she'd injured herself, undressed and bound her hands and feet with duct tape before calling police.

Assistant Greene County Prosecutor Jill Patterson, who filed the dismissal, said there was probable cause to believe Forest submitted a false report, but not evidence to prove the matter beyond a reasonable doubt.

"I did not feel like I could meet that burden and I didn't feel like it was in the interest of justice to pursue the matter," Patterson said. "I put a lot of time and energy in to make sure the decision was careful."

In July 2008, Arnott held a press conference to announce the charges and said his office would seek thousands of dollars in restitution from Forest to repay time spent searching for the rapist.

The sheriff was disappointed to hear of the dropped charge Friday afternoon.

"In many ways, it is a travesty that it did not get before the courts to make a decision," Arnott said. "We know suspects lie all the time, but when we have to figure out if the victim is lying, that's more frustrating."

Despite the dismissal, both Patterson and Arnott said there is no reason for the public to be concerned about Forest's alleged attacker.

"I feel that we came to a conclusion in the case, and that we had the right suspect," Arnott said.
But Forest's attorney, Shane Cantin, said his client was attacked as she claims.

"It was very clear to me that Karla was assaulted outside of her home in 2007 and nobody's ever been charged," Cantin said. "It was very bad for Karla. It was very damaging for Karla."

Link: http://www.news-leader.com/article/20090516/NEWS01/905160357/1007/NEWS01/False+rape+report+charge+dropped