Media Request: Looking to speak to a man who was falsely accused of rape

[milla_milla]

Hello,

I'm a freelance journalist and I am currently working on a sensitive feature for the UK's Cosmopolitan. It's about three couples, aged 19-37, where one of them had to reveal something massive to the other after they met and fell in love.

For one of the stories, I'm hoping to interview a couple where the man was falsely accussed of rape prior to meeting his partner, to talk about how he broke the news to his partner, what her reaction was, how they dealt with the situation and still managed to stay together.

The couple must be happy to be identified and photographed, as well as talk to the magazine - interviews would take place over the phone.

Please get in touch with me directly on katreenh@hotmail.com if you would be interested in sharing your story.

Many thanks and best wishes,

Katreen

www.katreenhardt.com

[whatsgoingon?]

Good luck - I hope you find your' ideal couple'. If you've read the threads you're no doubt aware of the devastation false accusations cause to those individuals and their loved ones. There was such a young woman on this forum a couple of months ago and there are many others who support their husband/partner/son/brother through their ordeal. I'm not sure how many would want extra media attention though.
Also,people generally come on here for support and advice- once their case has been dealt with they tend to busy themselves with picking up the peices and getting back into some sort of sanity and 'normality' and often don't come back onto the site.

[steve22]

Seems like a great way to spread the word of the damage it does and also provide potential deterrents if women were aware of the legal implications on themselves for making a false allegation.

I have a new partner (since around the time the allegations were made to the police) and it is a struggle as far as the relationship is concerned but the support is there which i find pretty astonishing.. Its a difficult allegation to just look past.

Good luck with your article.

[IvorBinWronged]

Hello,

I'm a freelance journalist and I am currently working on a sensitive feature for the UK's Cosmopolitan. It's about three couples, aged 19-37, where one of them had to reveal something massive to the other after they met and fell in love.

For one of the stories, I'm hoping to interview a couple where the man was falsely accussed of rape prior to meeting his partner, to talk about how he broke the news to his partner, what her reaction was, how they dealt with the situation and still managed to stay together.

The couple must be happy to be identified and photographed, as well as talk to the magazine - interviews would take place over the phone.

Please get in touch with me directly on katreenh@hotmail.com if you would be interested in sharing your story.

Many thanks and best wishes,

Katreen

www.katreenhardt.com

To all members: if this was sensitive, there would be no requirement for photos. Try swapping sensitive for sensationalist.

Also, interesting what the other two stories are. My guesses: used to be gay, is transgender, and abused as child

Plod and press are two heads of the same snake.

Beware!

[milla_milla]

I'd like to add since the story will be written in the first person that I am more than happy to read the story back to the couple prior to publication to ensure that the couple is 100% happy with the way the story turned out and to make any changes and/or corrections.

Many thanks,

Katreen

[IvorBinWronged]

sounds as watertight as a boot sock!

I'd like to add since the story will be written in the first person that I am more than happy to read the story back to the couple prior to publication to ensure that the couple is 100% happy with the way the story turned out and to make any changes and/or corrections.

Many thanks,

Katreen

You didn't say that the interviewed couple will have full control over editorial rights prior to printing which means you'll read it back to them and if your editor feels like changing it you can blame it on them and still smell like hot biscuits.

They'll be someone on here who has been brutalised enough in their local area because of FA to have absolutely nothing left to lose but is your angle appropriate for that? I doubt it.

Read my signature and you'll know how your industry has behaved with this "sensitive" situation...

[Faith]

I must agree with Ivor that any attempts to sensationalise such a raw trauma is irresponsible and it must be reitorated strongly that any newspaper or magazine's primary focus is to shift copies, not to do what's best for the cause or your welfare.
Obviously, it is down to each member whether they decide this is the route for them, but I can't personally see how it could benefit you and I can certainly see many ways in which it might end up demonising you.
Tread with care.

[lawlessone2009]

Strange thing with the media always seems to be that the story needs to be 'complex' in some manner.

The 'before the partner' requirement just seems ODD. It's as if they want to focus on the partners views of 'what happened when you found out he was a potential rapist'...

I find it quite disturbing.

The age grouping is also a little odd. Within that age group (where I am) there is still a naivety and acceptance of most things without a great deal of questioning or wisdom to be used. Looks and stature still appear to be more important than intelligence and loving. I don't see an article within such closed requirements being of much benefit to anyone other than a little glorified office/train reading.

Why can't the media just keep it simple and without odd requirements?

There's a gold mine of people out there with stories to tell. A simple Google search throws up so many strange snippets of peoples llives that I am not really sure where the mainstream media fit in anymore. It's as if they are living in the dark ages and attempting, with sensationalist stories, to somehow keep up with modern society. The problem is that the 'sensationalist' angles they look for are, frankly, not sensational enough when put against the might of the world wide web.

Closed thinking does little to help them.

Suppose the establishment (oh NO, conspiracy theory here) is still stupidly trying to keep control of civilisation through the 'normal' media by producing semi-sensational news and passing it of as 'futuristic foward thinking, happening NOW' creative journalism.

It's not!

The proposed base for the story which is seeking out a couple for a lovely spread in a mag/newspaper (or whatever) is ancient. Better focusing on something a little odder like some kind of transexual couple with a twist of some kind that's not already been covered and people don't go looking for on Google. Anything to do with sexual offences/allegations has been done to death and especially since Sir Savile passed away and the stories came out.

If I was to focus on anything to do with sexual offences/allegations then I'd be focusing on the amount of money, tax payer money, that is being poured down the drain whilst the government have their prosecutors needlessly prosecute thousands of individuals so that they can get a 'definition' and 'caselaw' to go with THEIR own legislation. The recent changes in the legislation where not required, the legislation that existed was more than adequate. We now have a deluge of cases being brought, at our expense (both monetary and mentally), so that they can clarify 'points of law'.

I'd be focusing on the fact the government cannot write proper law and are wasting £billions as a result not to mention the thousands of lives they ruin in the process. Maybe an article focusing on all the different types of laws and how they are increasingly becoming incompatible with each other?

Jeez... I'm ranting... I'll stop. Just gets my back up... Pictures of the falsely accused but, yet again, no 'we'll include a picture of the false accuser' just to help others avoid them... Anonimity is helping the spread of false accusations and damaging the credibility of real victims, there's a story in itself and not a glorified self serving 'slant' on what the public already know....

[steve22]

Suppose the establishment (oh NO, conspiracy theory here) is still stupidly trying to keep control of civilisation through the 'normal' media by producing semi-sensational news and passing it of as 'futuristic foward thinking, happening NOW' creative journalism.

This did make me laugh.. "OH NO conspiracy theory".. It really is glamorization of suffering that's no more news breaking than children starving in Africa and stabbings in central London.. Always tragic and ongoing but no action..

I'd be focusing on the fact the government cannot write proper law and are wasting £billions as a result not to mention the thousands of lives they ruin in the process. Maybe an article focusing on all the different types of laws and how they are increasingly becoming incompatible with each other?

I am only 3 and a half weeks into bail, but i have already worked out that i could be tried for a minimum of 21 years imprisonment and the likelihood that i will be "put in" for that time, taking into account the evidence i have already accumulated to protect me.. Its highly unlikely.

100's, maybe even 1000's of man hours are put into these false allegation cases and conviction or not, the wrong result comes of it. Those who have caused this waste on tax payers money and the loss of innocent people's jobs and the income involved need to be the priority.

If i have to read 100 stories on "The Sun" or "News of the world" that detail the tragic breakdown of families, relationships and livelihoods of people who didn't deserve such treatment, it would not be in vane if something was done about it.

'Nuff said journalists. 'Nuff said.

[whatsgoingon?]

I must agree with Ivor that any attempts to sensationalise such a raw trauma is irresponsible and it must be reitorated strongly that any newspaper or magazine's primary focus is to shift copies, not to do what's best for the cause or your welfare.
Obviously, it is down to each member whether they decide this is the route for them, but I can't personally see how it could benefit you and I can certainly see many ways in which it might end up demonising you.
Tread with care.

My feelings entirely Faith - for what reason would anyone want to be in a lovie dovie cosmo mag in full technicolour after the hell they've been through?

[Faith]

CHange lovey dovey to salacious and tacky and we're singing from the same hymn sheet

[Dave]

DO NOT TOUCH WITH A BARGE POLE, deja vue

[Yorkster]

Instead of putting people through this ridiculous idea why not pursue something of importance . Like the social services . Whilst some do a good job some actually go in like an invading army .

one minute your a bl00dy good dad the next your some kind of monster . Then they don't listen to you and make everything you say sound like its all 100 times worse than it is . My children witnessed a couple of arguments between me and there mother . Yet the social services make it out that it was an every day accurance when infact before my wife's disclosure about her infidelity and sexuality we never ever argued . The social services are a law unto themselves and trying to get them to help is non existent .

They told me they didn't want to stop me seeing my children and wanted contact back in place asap . That was 7th September 2012 still no contact at all plus my wife just tells them lie after lie and guess what ! They take the mothers side all the time .

[Anionix]

I think i'm perfect for your request

Is it anonymous?

[lawlessone2009]

Is it anonymous?

Yeah... They change your name and then print a picture of you with your partner...

Only joking.

They're wanting a couple to pose for pictures! For PICTURES. Most likely want you both to be smiling and all 'in love' and then get the airbrush team to alter the eyes to look like the devils........

The one positive for it would be that it shows people are willing to stand up, show face and kick the ball back up the field. Unfortunately the morons that inhabit this country/island would most likely In absentia and without the process of law, convict you (even though you're innocent), smash up your car, burn down your house and most likely attempt to murder you and your partner.

What the media always forget is that the majority of people are thick and easily led. Investigative and critical thinking are two complex 'words' to them rather than how they should decide what is most probably true based on facts and evidence... A 'sensational' story may be something cutting edge and life changing for some but simply an excuse to cause pain and suffering for others...

The magazine that is mentioned doesn't seem to cater to those with a particularly high IQ (Article: How to wear leather trousers being an example) so it would really depend on the intelligence and insight of the writer. With the person asking for the information/candidates being 'freelance' then there is a high chance that anything they write will be 'twisted' to suit this weeks 'in thinking' before the inhouse team send it off for print. A perfectly innocent and frank piece of writing could become a sinister and sickening 'call to arms' for some group of botox loving/tanned to death/ignorant WAGs.

Avoid like you'd avoid David Cameron. Accept in reality that it's there but don't attempt to engage it in any form of normality or acceptance.