Catherine

Actually that is not the conclusion to which all the evidence points. All of us who deal with these allegations know that there as many falsehoods as genuine claims.

People need to be aware that rape is the easiest allegation that can be made. It requires no forensics, no injury, no corroboration and, in fact, evidence at all. Many women have been exploiting that fact throughout history.

The conviction rates reflect the volume of false allegations.

jo, london, uk

To Jack in London, all the evidence is that "false reports" of rape occur at the same rate as for any other major crime - very low. Certainly not 95%! It is only in rape that it is routinely assumed that the person reporting the crime is lying. There are many, many crimes when conviction ultimately comes down to one person's word against another's. Again, it is only in rape when, often despite substantial other evidence (in some cases including video footage of violent assault), that it is almost assumed that it is the complainant and not the accused who is lying.

Catherine, Oxford,

"If there is one thing worse than rape it is being falsely accused of that crime. "

Do you seriously think that is worse? If you've actually experienced both, then I'll defer to your superior knowledge on the subject, but otherwise I suggest you think carefully about what you said, and whether you can possibly really mean it.

"But of those that are reported how many are found to be false reports?"

It's difficult to be precise with such numbers, but as far as I know the evidence suggests that the rate of false reporting for rape is similar to that for other comparable crimes.

Sarah, London, UK

My disabled daughter was the victim of attempted rape in Camphill Blairdrummond in Stirling Scotland.
Despite her attacker being "caught in the act", her disability prevented her from being a credible witness.
The people paid to care for her failed to contact the police, the police then took 3 months to interview him. During this time, he went on to seriously assault two able bodied women.
It has since emerged, that he sexually assaulted two other disabled women prior to my precious, vulnerable daughter.
The two able bodied womens experiences recognised and vindicated.
My daughterss ignored denied and invalidated.
Given the unlikelyhood of a conviction for women able to speak for themselves, what chance do women with a disability have.
There are no resources or facilities to support what seems like the "invisible victims " of this hideous crime.

.

anni west, helensburgh, scotland

But of those that are reported how many are found to be false reports? How many of those reported were reported as afterthoughts? How many victims reported the rape at the first opportunity and how many did so after first convincing themselves that what had started out as consensual sex really turned out to be rape.

Convictions rely upon there being no "reasonable doubt". Where there is no other evidence justice would not be served if the voice of the accuser was to be given even more weight than it already does.

If there is one thing worse than rape it is being falsely accused of that crime.

Jack, London , England