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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to think these vile girls should be named and shamed?

56 replies

LadyBuzz · 10/10/2011 21:39

There have been 4 serious sexual assaults in the last 2 weeks in the small city where i live which is generally quite sleepy and quiet.
In the local news paper tonight it has been reported that 2 of these attacks are complete fabrications and the girls in question have been arrested for it.

AIBU to believe that they should be named and shamed for this. The 2 women who have really been assaulted must be going through such a traumatic time at the moment and to have this made a mockery of must be a kick in the teeth for them.

I am amazed that anybody would make something like this up!

OP posts:

AuntiePickleBottom · 10/10/2011 21:41

i don't think they should be named and shamed.

the reason is that real victims may fear coming forward in case they are not belived and be outed as a liar in the press

Original poster

LadyBuzz · 10/10/2011 21:46

I see what you are saying there, I can't begin to imagine how hard it must be but if there is concrete evidence to prove that they made it up would that not be reasonable grounds to out them?

OP posts:

ecclesvet · 10/10/2011 21:48

No. Neither the accuser nor the accused should be named, imo.

gordyslovesheep · 10/10/2011 21:48

but they WILL be if they end up in court unless they are under age in which case YABU

WibblyBibble · 10/10/2011 21:50

Uh, don't you think your mental energy would be better directed towards wishing for the finding, naming and shaming of the actual culprit? Also the police's energy?

picnicbasketcase · 10/10/2011 21:52

I feel sorry for the genuine victims and people who have been wrongly accused but named in the media anyway. Naming and shaming the people who have lied wouldn't help anyone.

AuntiePickleBottom · 10/10/2011 21:54

if they are outed, than it will only be for the blood thirsty mob that are banning for there blood.

any accusation thses women make in future regarding rape will be very hard to convict, if they ever try and do it to another man/women

Original poster

LadyBuzz · 10/10/2011 21:56

No not under age, both of them are adults and should know better.

I wouldn't wish hurt on anybody and I really hope that the police do find the culprits, in fact they have charged someone already for 1 of them.

I'm just so shocked that anybody would make something like that up especially after 2 people had been through it so recently.

OP posts:

Andrewofgg · 10/10/2011 22:00

Should not all defendants be given anonymity unless and until convicted - not just in sex cases?

redexpat · 10/10/2011 22:20

YANBU if you extend it to all people who falsely report crimes. It's about 3% of all crime, and the ratio doesn't change across different types of crime. Yet somehow it's only women who falsely report sexual crimes that are demonised.

Andrewofgg · 10/10/2011 22:21

The trouble is that a false report of a burglary is not interesting to the media because there is no sex in it. That is life.

Original poster

LadyBuzz · 10/10/2011 22:24

I would happily extend it to all people who falsely report crimes.
It is a waste of police time, money and resources.

OP posts:

Andrewofgg · 10/10/2011 22:26

But it's only the (few) false rape-claims which would get reported in the media.

slavetofilofax · 10/10/2011 22:32

Women who falsely report sexual crimes deserve to be demonised. I can't think of any false crime report that would be anywhere near as damaging to the victim as a fake accusation of sexual assault.

And they will be named and shaned if they are convicted, so this is a pointless AIBU question.

Original poster

LadyBuzz · 10/10/2011 22:33

I see what you are saying and i agree that it is very wrong that only the 'interesting' cases hit the media looking at the bigger picture it all disgusts me its just this particular case that got me riled today after i read the news.

OP posts:

forrestgump · 10/10/2011 22:33

a very good friend of mine was accused a few summers ago of rape, it was a horrific time for thier family, as he was adamant that she was a consenting adult. I still admire the fact that he took his close friends aside and told us.

It turned out after months of horrific questioning, and him having to tell his family the entire events, with parents financing a very good legal representitive, that thishe changed her mind!! They were so mortified that the events that lead up to the initial arrest, (on christmas eve during a huge family event) and the fact that it managed to stay out of the press, they left it to close.

it was only afterwards they were told she had done it, twice before.

ThePopsicleKat · 11/10/2011 00:48

Ooh I think where you live. I used to live there, have heard about these via facebook from old friends who still do.

I do think it's awful that anyone would make up stories like this. Not sure naming and shaming is the way to go, though. They've been arrested, they will suffer the consequences.

ThePopsicleKat · 11/10/2011 00:49

That should be, "I think I know where you live", obviously. I don't actually do my thinking in your home. That would be odd.

LineRunner · 11/10/2011 00:54

Two women have been arrested.

Not tried and found guilty, presumably? Except in your newspaper.

MumblingAndBloodyRagDoll · 11/10/2011 00:57

YABU to use the Dail Mails fave term "Name and Shame" and YABU for starting a witch hunt when nothing has been proved yet.

Your righteousness smells of boredom.

jade80 · 11/10/2011 00:58

It's tricky, because if they were named and shamed, then presumably there is a danger of others being wrongly named in future, when they were in fact a victim, which would be awful. However, I do think there should be consequences for purely malicious allegations with no truth at all, such as some sort of criminal record. As otherwise the little gits are getting away with wasting police time and possibly causing an innocent person a lot of heart ache. Hopefully the local rumour mill will do it's bit and everyone they know will soon know so they can point in the street!

MumblingAndBloodyRagDoll · 11/10/2011 00:59

redepat is right.

MumblingAndBloodyRagDoll · 11/10/2011 01:01

slaetoilofax I can....think of crimes which people could be accused of which are as damaging....what about being accused of terrorism? That would be just as damaging.

mathanxiety · 11/10/2011 01:06

No naming and shaming necessary. Obviously anyone who would do this has some problems.

Why would this be done in the case of false rape claims and not any other waste of police time?

I think it would be offputting for genuine rape victims to think they would be named and shamed if their case wasn't prosecuted (most are not) even if they got to the point of making a report (most rapes are not reported).

The real problem with rape is not over-reporting/false reporting. It is gross under-reporting, and anything that further discourages reporting would be a backward step imo.

x-posting

jade80 · 11/10/2011 01:12

I agree with many of your points mathanxiety. But you say they must have 'some problems'. I don't think that should excuse them from any repercussions. The same stands for any other malicious accusation, not just rape. Plenty of people have problems and don't make shit up because of it.

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