http://jezebel.com/john-mccain-thinks-college-kids-constantly-cry-fake-sex-657975246
“Senator John McCain is the latest conservative politician to complain that the Department of Justice has “redefined the meaning of sexual harassment” at U.S. universities by cracking down on Title IX violations that protect students from intimidation and assault — and he and his cronies think that’s a bad thing.” Read the article above for the whole story.
This article got a good debate going on our Facebook page. Here it is:
Rhea: “It never ceases to amaze me how afraid men are of “fake” rape claims.”
Simon Jack: “A fake rape claim can involve the condemnation of the community, criminal consequences, and jail time. Your major defense is likely to be calling the victim a liar, which relies a hell of a lot on personalities. And it’ll cost you money. And you have to hope the police will do a solid investigation. Being scared of it is perfectly sensible – EVERYONE should be scared of false prosecution.
And it can happen to almost anyone in almost any circumstance. Look at this case and tell me what would have happened if there was no CCTV footage: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/10140992/Soldier-tells-how-his-life-was-ruined-after-woman-he-tried-to-comfort-accused-him-of-rape.html
The fear of it is disproportionate to the actual danger (probably. I’m not sure if any studies have been done. I’m not sure if they CAN be done). But there can be very serious consequences and it can be very, very difficult to defend yourself. But the randomness and difficulty of defending yourself is not exactly comforting.”
Rhea: “I don’t think people legitimately fear being falsely accused of beating someone up. That’s not a realistic fear. You can fear crossing the street if you like, but that doesn’t mean it’s likely to cause you harm. We certainly don’t tell people who go to the police and say they’ve been attacked, you must be lying.”
Simon Jack: “I don’t think people fear false prosecution (generally) much. But it’s more reasonable to fear such a thing than almost any other calamity that could befall you, barring car accident or house fire. It does happen, and its consequences can really, really suck.
As to the “you must be lying” angle – I don’t know that the two are directly connected, odd as that may sound. Part of the reason men are afraid of false rape charges is because it’s a serious crime – that shouldn’t lead to dismissing claims of sexual assault. It should lead to cautious and careful investigation so that they can charge someone (either with sexual assault or with making a false police report). If someone’s bringing a false claim of rape, you investigate it so you can make them pay for it. You don’t just tell them to screw off. I think there’s other factors in play (though I’m honestly not sure what). Also, the Satanic ritual abuse scandal might be partly responsible for a culture of fear and suspicion around sexual abuse claims in the US.”
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