False Accusations do happen

[Saffron]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/beds/bu...rts/4829868.stm

and this is just one. Shocking to think that if this had got to court as a rape case, there would have been DNA evidence that intercourse took place, and bruises on her face to prove force was involved. The poor bloke would not have stood a chance. He was incredibly lucky. She is incredibly sick.

[diana_holbourn]

On the other hand, it could be that she was threatened by friends of the man, became scared, and retracted her allegation, even preferring prison than to stand up for herself and take the potential consequences. The story doesn't explain why she would suddenly decide to make what happened look like a rape. Surely you'd have to either be very sick or have a very good reason to brave the pain and punch yourself hard enough to give yourself a black eye and other injuries, and who would smash their own things? It seems odd that she'd feel such malevolence towards someone she'd only invited in hours earlier to have consensual sex with, unless something untoward happened, or unless she'd planned the whole thing beforehand as some kind of cry for help perhaps.

The whole story seems a bit strange. As you said the other day, it's difficult to know how much of the truth you're getting from the press. That would be especially so if she kept the truth to herself.

[Saffron]

I think I hear what you are saying: she may have found the whole procedure so traumatising that she would rather go to prison than face the humiliation of the courts? She would rather plead guilty to something she didn't do, than go through the torment of having her every word and action questioned and cross questioned in court? It does happen. It sounds ludicrous, but i know for a fact that when it comes to the proetction of your loved ones, most people will do anything to keep from hurting them.

After all, it happened to Maria's son. He pleaded guilty because he was told he had no chance of a not guilty verdict, and in order to avoid prison. My husband considered it in order to save us all having to go through the trauma of a trial, and to avoid prison, so that he could see our son's first day at school. In the end he chose to plead not guilty because that is what he is. not guilty. fat lot of good it did him.

But i have to say, Diana, that you are judging her (the false accuser) by your own standards. Just because you would never punch yourself in the face, smash up your house and make a false rape accusation doesn't mean that she wouldn't! You wouldn't rape someone, but you accept that it happens. You wouldn't falsely accuse someone of raping you, but surely you accept that it happens? She has been found guilty of being a false accuser, the same way as my husband was found guilty of being a sex attacker. You have made the same judgement as so may jurors make: no smoke without fire: why would she say such a thing if it wasn't true?

[diana_holbourn]

I'm not saying I don't believe she could do such a thing. It's just that the story sounds so strange. Another thing that's strange about it is that if she really did meet him just that day when he offered to carry her shopping, inviting him in later and then consenting to sex with him just seems odd. I know some depressed people do get very lonely and desperate for company, and there are some psychological conditions where people can get attached to people very quickly. But to decide you want sex with someone you only met that day in the street ... well, maybe that's a reflection of today's cultural standards, but could they be that bad? The idea that someone would do that does seem a bit dubious. I suppose what might have happened is that he came to her door saying he'd dropped one of his possessions or something like that, asked if he could come in, and she invited him in because she was lonely. Then they got talking and danced and she started feeling very attached to him; they had sex and then she wanted to carry on the relationship but he left her rather callously, never having intended that it would be more than a one-off, so she felt used, and in her rage she became vengeful and punched herself to incriminate him, and her rage was strong enough to override the pain that would otherwise have prohibited her from doing such a thing. Of course, it's impossible to know. But it's about the only scenario I can think of where sex could have been consensual and then she could have changed her mind with so much feeling. If they'd been caught together, then I could understand her motives, but it doesn't say they were, so there's no reason as far as I can see that she would have needed to defend herself against allegations of unfaithfulness by claiming rape.

I have to say that if the man did use her like that, I haven't got much sympathy for him, since doing something so callous to a vulnerable person just isn't nice!

I suppose it's possible that their judgments were both impaired by drink when they had sex, but I wonder why on earth he went round to her house in the first place! Without knowing more of the facts, his behaviour seems rather suspect.

[Rights Fighter]

A couple of years back a guy was imprisoned for raping a young woman in a block of flats. She appeared to have been badly battered and her clothes were ripped. Eventually CCTC was found (camerea in the lift of the flats) and it showed the reflection on the shiny walls of the lift, the woman was hitting herself and ripping her own clothing. Prior to that, there was CCTV footage of her leaving the "rapist's" flat, calm, composed and properly dressed. The "rapist" walked free on appeal due to the new evidence.

Unfortunately appeals are not usually based on common sense. That one was. I agree it is very unusual, that somebody would hurt themselves in order to get somebody else in trouble. Maybe if financial compensation were to be substituted by top notch therapy for those who are genuinely abused, we might see some of these false allegations cases dropped. Or not brought to the attention of the authorities in the first place.

Please pass on my congratulations to Shane, Maria! Let's hope common sense prevails in his case.

RF

[utterlydestroyed]

inviting him in later and then consenting to sex with him just seems odd.

But to decide you want sex with someone you only met that day in the street ... well, maybe that's a reflection of today's cultural standards, but could they be that bad? The idea that someone would do that does seem a bit dubious.

Dear God In Heaven,

I do not wish to be offensive but HOW out of contact with the real world are you?

I certainly know lots and I mean lots of young people between 16 and under 30, many of whom have sex with persons within hours of first meeting them for the first time. Sexual intercourse for some is as common place as a first kiss is for others. I had one friend who when they picked up casual sex partner, has simply texted me the car registration number of the vehicle they had got into, just so at least someone knew they had got in a car with someone. I then would get a coded text which informed me they were ok and had returned home safely.

I know others who have sex regularily with complete strangers, without even establishing what their first name is even. The diversity towards what is sexually acceptable conduct and behaviour on a first meeting in range is astounding. Many, even younger persons, are quite confident, knowledgeable and bold in their own personal persuit of consensual sexual encounters.

The internet has also made it possible for people to make contact, discuss sexual terms, met and engage in sex in a way that would truely stun many. Having many younger friends under 30 yrs of age it stuns me and I'm very liberal in my sexual outlook.

Due to my own horrific experience of false rape accusation made against me, (and I had eyewitnesses to expressed consent, but police still tried to ignore them!) a young friend who lives in the same house as me now insists I have sexual consent forms in my bedside drawer for any casual sexual encounter I may have.