(edited title) False allegations of rape and domestic violence are few and far between [View all]

[redqueen]

Last edited Mon Dec 30, 2013, 11:11 AM - Edit history (7)

The Crown Prosecution Service has come a long way in dealing with cases involving violence against women and girls. In the last year (2011-12) we have seen the conviction rate rise to 73%, delivering the lowest attrition rates ever recorded. The CPS has now published a trailblazing report on so-called "false allegations" of rape or domestic violence.

In recent years both the police and prosecutors have put a great deal of effort into improving the way we investigate and prosecute sexual offences. The results of the changes and improvements that have been made are encouraging. Our committed and specialist staff have prioritised performance in these important and difficult cases. We have bolstered training, policies and guidance for rape and domestic violence specialists. Closer working with the police and specialist services has helped to address the types of ingrained practices that can ignore, or even add to, the victimisation of women and girls. But there is still more that we must do to improve.

In recent years we have worked hard to dispel the damaging myths and stereotypes associated with these cases. One such misplaced belief is that false allegations of rape and domestic violence are rife. This report presents a more accurate picture.

...

This report outlines the key findings from the review of those cases and the steps that we plan to take. Importantly, what it shows is that charges brought for perverting the course of justice or wasting police time for such "false" allegations need to be considered in the context of the total number of prosecutions brought for those offences. In the period of the review, there were 5,651 prosecutions for rape and 111,891 for domestic violence. During the same period there were 35 prosecutions for making false allegations of rape, six for making false allegation of domestic violence and three for making false allegations of both rape and domestic violence

...

http://www.cps.gov.uk/publications/research/perverting_course_of_justice_march_2013.pdf

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/mar/13/false-allegations-rape-domestic-violence-rare?view=mobile

Let me just add this to the OP:

No, the point of this isn't that all accused men should be assumed to be guilty.

The point is when people say that false rape allegations are common, they're either ignorant or outright liars.

The idea that false rape allegations are common is used to increase the societal pressure on victims not to come forward and tell anyone, let alone report it to authorities. That's why MRAs do stuff like circulating posters accusing women of being liars, and claiming they were raped but really they just regretted sleeping with someone.

All of this is done to maintain and enable rape culture. And all of it needs to stop.



on edit: When I saw this story linked, I saw it with the title that I previously used. I have now edited it to show the article's title.