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From: daemon@decwrl.UUCP (The devil himself)
Newsgroups: net.women
Subject: The Dotson Case
Message-ID: <2220@decwrl.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 18-May-85 14:56:23 EDT
Article-I.D.: decwrl.2220
Posted: Sat May 18 14:56:23 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 20-May-85 04:24:30 EDT
Organization: DEC Engineering Network
Lines: 35

The Dotson Case_________________________________________________________________

	I'm surprised there hasn't been any talk about the Dotson case in this
newsgroup.  Well I've got plenty to say!

	I'm outraged by the overwhelming media attention on this case.  One
woman claims she lied about being raped, and we see it on the front pages now
for over a month!  The Associated Press, in its neverending search for news that
supports the _status_quo_ (read:  white patriarchy), diligently roots out ob-
scure cases of alleged falsely-accused rape from various nooks and crannies to
"show" us that the Dotson case isn't an "isolated incident."
	Somewhere in all the brouhaha, the media has forgotten to mention a few
very important facts:

	    o Less than 1% of rape accusations turn out to be false.
	      This is by far the lowest rate of false accusation for
	      any crime.

	    o The conviction rate for rape is about 2%.  This is by
	      far the lowest rate of conviction for any crime.

What should we do about it?  If everyone who subscribed to net.women would write
to their local papers and complain about the distorted view of rape that is pre-
sented in the converage of this case, we could make a difference.  How about it?
	Also, does anybody know where to write to complain to Associated Press?
		<_Jym_>

:::::::::::::::: Jym Dyer
::::'  ::  `:::: Dracut, Massachusetts
::'    ::    `::
::     ::     :: DYER%VAXUUM.DEC@DECWRL.ARPA
::   .::::.   :: {allegra|decvax|ihnp4|ucbvax}!decwrl!dec-rhea!dec-vaxuum!dyer
::..:' :: `:..::
::::.  ::  .:::: Statements made in this article are my own; they might not
:::::::::::::::: reflect the views of |d|i|g|i|t|a|l| Equipment Corporation.