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From: laura@utcsstat.UUCP (Laura Creighton)
Newsgroups: net.women,net.legal
Subject: Re: Rape in  Ontario
Message-ID: <1508@utcsstat.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 2-Dec-83 23:34:16 EST
Article-I.D.: utcsstat.1508
Posted: Fri Dec  2 23:34:16 1983
Date-Received: Sat, 3-Dec-83 00:13:16 EST
References: <343@watdaisy.UUCP>, <2873@utcsrgv.UUCP>
Organization: U. of Toronto, Canada
Lines: 35

Your argument about "nobody going to the trouble of going to court and dragging
themselves through the mud" may not hold for precisely the sort of person
who would do such a thing. There are always people who "consider their lives
ruined" and really want to get back at a person. They do not feel that they
can  be dragged down any lower. I remember reading about a women who
decided to charge her divorced husband with rape for this reason. Unfortunately
for her (though fortunately for him) he was at a friend's wedding at the time
that the rape was alledged to occur, and so had *lots* of witnesses. At the
time it was not clear whether the alledged victim really believed the rape had
taken place or believed that it *hadn't* and was well aware that she was
lying. Either way, it could have been very messy for the person accused.

I also know of one case where a woman who was raped was prepared to swear
on anything that you care to name that a person in a police lineup was
definitely, and without a question of a doubt the person who raped her.
The problem was that he was an undercover policeman who was definitely
not the rapist. This is not surprising, given that if you read police
reports of any accident you will find huge discrepancies on simple
things like "what colour was the car" "was it a station wagon, a
2-door, or a 4-door" and "was the man or the lady driving".

Suppose you do not have any idea that being raped is something to
be ashamed for, but you want to milk it for all the sympathy you can get.
Or suppose that you don't think that it is shameful and you really
want to hurt someone.  Win or lose, if *you* don't feel that you have
something to lose it will have terrific effect.  there are people who
will look at anyone charged with rape as a rapist even if he is found
not guilty.
So, until the whole story comes out it is not a good idea to assume
that it is a case of the woman being threatened. Remember that if the
man charged did *NOT* rape her, then this is a good thing -- unless
people start spreading rumours that he *did* and he threatened her...

Laura Creighton
utzoo!utcsstat!laura