So in the wake of a massive public spotlight on rape, the priority apparently is to protect the reputations of the tiny % of men falsely accused of rape

[FastidiaBlueberry]

FFS FFS FFS

Is it very cynical of me to think that this new demand to enable anonymity for men accused of rape (most of whom are guilty, but get off anyway) is a psychological need to re-establish what is most important to these woman-haters?

Stop talking about the mountain of rape victims who never get justice and FGS start talking about the anthill of men who get falsely accused.

Enough of Steubenville, Delhi, Frances Andrade, Jimmy Savile's victims, the 1 in 4 women who are raped or sexually assaulted.

Let's get back to talking about the really important issues - the miniscule number of men who will be falsely accused of rape or who will be the victim of mistaken identity. Fools, don't you know they're more important than all those rape vicitms? That that's a much bigger issue? So what 25% of women are subjected to rape or sexual assault? So what if 85-90% of rape victims don't report? So what that of those who do, only 6% get a guilty verdict even though only between 2-6% are lying or mistaken? Let's get some perspective on this - men matter more than women, stop imagining they don't.

Fuming but off to bed.

[angelttc91]

I do agree op, I was gang raped age 13 by boys a similar age to me, they received a fine and 12 month youth offenders course, I received a total of £300 compensation for something that has damaged my life terribly.

In 2010 age 19 my ex boyfriend raped me on my own bed a few weeks after I ended it with him, and he was round collecting his stuff. I saw little point in reporting it as the punishment dealt out is so lenient its a slap on the wrist, plus there would likely never be a conviction due to him being my ex and obviously slept with him previously, it would be his word against mine.

the only reason the first people were prosecuted was because out of the 10 or so people that witnessed what happened to me only one guy actually informed the police. The rest stayed loyal to their rapist friends.

I feel sorry for any guy wrongly accused of rape, I hate women who do that as they make it harder for genuine victims. But let's not pretend its anywhere near the scale of sexual violence against women, it isn't and never will be. As a woman and victim of sexual assault I do not have faith in the justice system when it comes to rape. Not enough is done even when the offender is found guilty.

Sorry for this rant but occasionally this issue really gets to me.

[FastidiaBlueberry]

Angelttc I'm so sorry all that happened to you.

I hope you've recovered OK.

[AbigailAdams]

A good article on why anonymity for defendents is wrong. It explains, in some part, the traumas a victim goes through in court. But of course, it is so much more than just what happens in court. It is the reporting, the reaction of friends/family, the reaction of the perpetrator, the aftermath of the court case. None of it is right and all of it adds up to why women don't report and to some extent why convictions don't happen.

[AbigailAdams]

That is a really good way of putting it Artex.

[WoTmania]

Quite late to this but agree with Fastidia and most posters on here.

WRT to anonymity and false allegations - surely that's a red herring, in most cases of false allegations the alleged victim usually doesn't name a perpetrator. The idea that there are all these women 'crying rape' and that poor menz need protecting them doesn't stand up. It just helps to support rape myths and rape apologists.

[TunipTheVegedude]

wow. That is seriously useful to know Stewie, thank you.

[YNK]

Can I ask if someone can enlighten me? (also posted in legal)

In the case of John Warboys, the taxi driver rapist. Did he stand trial in all the cases separately or was there a collective trial where all the charges were brought together?
If the police ask for other victims to come forward to support a prosecution are they coming forward to stand as corroborating witnesses or is their allegation taken into consideration in some other way?

I hope someone can help me make sense of this as I have been told a case must be made on an individual basis, but I seem to remember cases where the charges were against serial rapists and there was no indication of separate trials for each victim. Another one that comes to mind is the recent Rochdale gang. anyone help me understand how a serial rapist is dealt with in court?

[YNK]

Posted too soon..... what about when police ask for other potential victims to come forward? Are they coming forward to act as corroborative witnesses or will charges be heard at that trial for their case?
Sorry to be dense!

[Trekkie]

I haven't read the whole thread but from the OP is there a a move within govt to change the law on this or has something else happened? who is making the new demand for anonimity?

[YNK]

www.guardian.co.uk/society/2010/may/21/rapists-anonymity-plan

It's the condems again Trekkie

[YNK]

www.guardian.co.uk/society/2010/may/21/rapists-anonymity-plan

Sorry!

[Trekkie]

Thanks YNK that is from 2010 though?

I know we went through all of this on here a couple of years back when it was being raised - and they dropped the plans which obviously was good BUT even tabling these ideas can have an adverse effect on perceptions. Tactic used by the US right etc moving the overton window and all that. I was concerned that it was back on the table again.

[AbigailAdams]

It was some QC who raised the issue again, in light of Michael Le Cell's arrest

[edam]

Stewie, thank you for explaining the FBI's 'unproven' category, that's really helpful.

[YNK]

Thanks. I am a derrbrain!

[edam]

not just some QC, sadly, a high court judge and chair of the Bar Council no less. Disgusting quisling.

[YNK]

Thanks SGM. Shocking to think he was believed to have started offending as early as 2002. How many women could have been spared if the first woman had been believed!

[AbigailAdams]

Ah yes thanks edam and SGM. Bless her!

[wonderwoman2012]

I have a family member accused so up until last night I thought that not naming anyone until found guilty was the thing to do.

However one lady on a thread I was posting on said that in her rape case reporting it in the papers helped two over women step forward. That is a very strong arguement that has made me rethink media coverage.

[Trekkie]

That article has a serious DM spin (shocker!).

If you read what the barrister/judge is quoted as saying, she says there is an argument both for and against. They have padded that out with stories about men being falsely accused and put a sensational headline and Voila! classic DM article.

[Trekkie]

Christ the comments....


WHY WHY WHY did I look at them ARRRGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!