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Allegations
of Sexual Abuse |
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Sandra Coney
writes much nonsense but excelled herself with her absurd remarks about rape
and Justice Thomas' opinion (December 8). They appear to believe that making
false allegations is an "enduring and pernicious myth". Of course
women make false allegations of rape. And when they do, they are rightly
accused of "lying, scheming and manipulating". Remember Nick Wills
and many others in similar predicaments? The
"recent complaint" rule is a fair one. Complaints promptly made allow
forensic evidence, if it exists, to be gathered. Significant delays can limit
its value and accuracy. If the delay is weeks, months or years, how, in the
absence of valid collaboration, can a woman expect to be believed? Like
everyone else, she has to demonstrate her credibility. In the 1986 to
'95 decade, 52% of rape trials failed to convict the accused. Evidence was either unreliable, inadequate or false. The Chief Justice
recently said of rape cases that an uneasy feeling remains that innocent men may
have been convicted. If rape
allegations were investigated like other criminal cases, there would be fewer
rape trials. "Balanced, objective analysis" would serve society
better than Coney's Claptrap or Thomas' Tirade. |
