Question for Daftmoo or Mods from my MP

[felix]

How many innocents or NFAs or no crimes or no charges are reported to the site each month on average and how many cases do you currently have on your book? Just approximately. Thx.

[RFLH]

Hi Felix - can't answer that I'm afraid, I don't think anyone has ever counted. All I know is sometimes there is more than one and it cn be monthd before we get another.

[Faith]

The site doesn't keep books in any way, but works more as an open support group.
NFA's seem to be like buses...

[largactyl1]

maybe put not guilty or nfa into search bit at top right hand corner?

[felix]

Thx. Will do the research myself. Just wondered if anyone kept track. Working our way to question to Ken clarke in the house.

Key question is "am I willing to have my name mentioned" even with privilege since very few people know I was accused and nfa'ed

[Faith]

Good for you, Felix, let us know of any developments

[felix]

Well, I am pursuing the chief Constable for a no crime and destruction of dna and records. Am waiting to see my ecrb. And mp is now wound up and on warpath regarding echr and its conflict with us embassy visa questions....

[just married]

very interested in this, felix, and will no doubt be asking faith to keep me posted of statistics regarding no crime and destruction of dna and records. It seems only fair.
good for you and good luck.

[lawlessone2009]

It's not going to be easy getting exact numbers...

Unlike buses (that was a cracker... ) rape allegations either false or true don't follow any particular time or format. There are morning rape accusations whereby the accused has just been released, afternoon ones, evening ones and probably for the insomniacs; during the night postings... When the actual accusations relate too normally takes quite a while to figure out and can either be classified as historic or recent. Then there are multiple accusations involving single people and many single accusations spanning different people and of course the straight forward single offence.

Who does what, when, where, why and how is extremely difficult to quantify.

There are also various different accusers from the mentally unstable, the vindictive, the cheating etc which results in different courses of action by the Police. There are also the genuine victims but due to lack of evidence the don't see justice...

Then there are the accused. There are falsely accused, straight confused, genuinely guilty but looking for an escape route etc...

There may also be fluctuations in peoples abilities to use google to find this place! Not everyone is able to type in the same words and get here and some don't even actually consider it as an option! Some blindly use a duty solicitor and cart themselves off to jail...........

The government have had quite a time trying to bring together any reliable information and they have access to masses of data!

I'd also have thought that one of the things that has been quite hard to achieve on here is 'trust'. There is an atmosphere of being able to log on and write whatever. If people became aware of data capture be it simply a 'NG' or 'NFA' then they may start 'conspiracy thinking' and believe that the forum is out to get them.

I'm not sure what the MP is wanting. From when I've signed up until now there has been peaks and troughs with almost all info seekers being provided roughly the same details and exceptions being made to their individual circumstances.

I suppose numbers could be obtainable but the energy required and the facts backing the figures could easily be open to question and mis-interpretation.

A political forum for falsely accused... Has an appealing sound to it...


I'm cranky today so may have missed the boat on a lot of answers or questions or opinions or whatever it was I originally set out to do before writing a mass of nonsense.........

[Faith]

Unlike buses (that was a cracker... ) rape allegations either false or true don't follow any particular time or format.

Nor do buses in my experience!!

Like you say (or I think you're saying!!) figures are almost impossible to find. For a start, most won't be online.

And we have no idea how many are genuine cases.

[felix]

The question is simply do we have an idea of the scale of the problem based on posts to this forum. I think the short answer is "no" for all the good reasons given above. Thanks vv much for input.

[Faith]

Many falsely accused never find this forum...so have an estimate of the scale of the issue from the stories we have here...then multiply it by quite a lot!

Perhaps give the MP the URL...maybe the amount of members may give an insight? We have over 1000 registered members

Some of these are rape victims but the falsely accused section generally sees the highest level of activity.

[lawlessone2009]

I would also hazard that it's not entirely correct to base the facts and figures on those that come on here simply seeking advice but would break the info down to show how many come on here simply to understand what the hell the charge means, how little support or info they get from the Police/CPS etc etc...

Rape accusations whether they are false or true cannot be put into boxes or categories easily as they are sooooo vast in circumstance and reason. Out of that there are genuine rapists hiding as falsely accused and falsely accused serving long spells in jail.

The problem is massive and it is good that an MP is showing interest. I would attempt to guide them away from facts and figures and steer them towards the real underlying issues which really boils down to a massive state machine, with plentiful resources and information, prosecuting individuals who don't even generally have a clue what the hell is happening to them never mind having the resources and info to adequately defend themselves.

The majority of people who receive an 'NFA' are simply thankful for the state giving them a break and never pursue matters any further. The state has basically came along and branded them a sexual deviant of some form (sexual assaulter, rapist etc) and then, on what appears a whim, dropped it and moved onto destroying someone elses life. A push for specific reasons for an NFA would be a good start and not beyond the capabilities already existent within the state machine.

A compensation scheme for those who are either found not guilty or proved to be genuinely falsely accused would be a very logical step to take and would remove some of the powers from the Police, who are masquerading around like heros charging whomever they wish, and return it to the public WITHOUT actually damaging the reporting of rape. It would basically make sure the Police actually investigate reports FULLY and only cases which are going to succeed will go to court (freeing up court time, reducing legal aid bills, reducing expense to the taxpayer to name but a few benefits...).

After that there should be a limit of x number of weeks put on the time between arrest and charge (I know it differs here in Scotland). The maximum time in my opinion should be 12 weeks. Scotland should follow the English system whereby arrest does not more or less result in charge but could follow within 12 weeks.

I believe it should be all about running a tight ship. Prompt and maximum investigation followed by charge or drop. If it's simply dropped then no compo and no mark against your disclosure checks. If it proceeds to court and a not guilty returned then compo. If it proceeds and is found to be false then compo.

The present system doesn't do any favours for those suffering a sexual assault and it equally doesn't give a toss about those falsely accused. It also results in genuine rapists roaming the streets for months/years whilst a case is put together and there has been occasion where they've struck again whilst on bail. The current system favours all of those involved in the investigation and prosecution and ONLY those people and they are NOTHING to do with what actually happened merely cash collectors as a result.

[Casehardened]

A superb and well thought-out reply Lawlessone, and Felix could do a lot worse than tweaking it and sending it to his MP with his signature appended.

I have heard that the police consider it an easy option to arrest, interview, and process alleged sex offenders, as opposed to say, drug dealers, as they are usually co-operative, non-violent, and generally not aware of their rights (a 'proper' criminal would already have a lawyer lined up & wouldn't speak until he arrived)

I know it's all down to achieving 'targets', but as anyone who has worked under this sort of system will know, it's good to accumulate a few easy shots before starting on the tricky ones.

[RFLH]

I'm with CS - Lawless, that is a brilliant rerply.