Is it worse to be FALSELY ACCUSED of rape or to actually be RAPED?

I recently read an article in the local newspaper that a lawsuit against our town was being dropped because the man who sued, moved away, making the suit moot. The man had sued because he was on the national sex offenders registry and was prevented from moving in with either of his sisters here because both of their houses were within 4,000 feet of a school (local ordinance). Later in the article it was revealed that the man was 42 and unmarried, had a menial job, and GET THIS, he had been convicted of statutory rape at age 16 because he had consensual intercourse with his girlfriend who was 13 at the time.

Being somewhat taken aback, I asked a local police chief about this sort of thing and he just shook his head and told me that the sex offenders registry creates a huge problem because those men who are on it are absolute social outcasts. They must register with the local law enforcement agency, inform prospective employers, and inform neighbors. Thus, they are pariahs to their neighbors, rarely marry, are rejected for higher education, have little chance of meaningful employment, and are relegated to outlying areas of their communities. Their lives being ruined, they sometimes turn to crime as the only way to "get ahead", if you can call it that.

However, just being falsely accused can ruin a man's life also, even though he may not be convicted. Many lose their jobs, businesses, and even families. But worse, they lose their good reputations within their communities regardless. We know the awful devastation caused to victims of rape, but which is worse?

2010-12-01T10:55:03Z

Poppin: I asked about recourse too. Few young women have assets worth a lawsuit and none get prosecuted for perjury even when they admit they lied. It's a malicious crime without risk.

2010-12-01T11:00:41Z

Alex: Most who are found guilty of rape do lengthy prison time.

2010-12-01T11:03:53Z

Car...: The accuser's name is never made public. The accused makes headlines.

2010-12-01T13:50:28Z

Alex: This was from another woman on YA...
My niece has accused several men of raping her, I think the total is six now. All of those men are registered sex offenders now, one lost his family and business. Several have done time because she started accusing when she was 14 and that's pretty serious. Unfortunately, her history can never be brought up so no one knows that her accusations are unfounded.

2010-12-01T14:09:45Z

As for 16 year old boys, in my state, they can be suspended from school and not readmitted until they are cleared in court which may take a year or so to come to trial. No private school will admit then and accept the liability. Since most parents of such kids both work, home schooling is out and both incomes are also needed for legal fees. They lose all of their friends and most eventually give up on school and life.

But a 45 year old man simply loses all that he has worked his life to attain. Do you really think either can fully recover from such trauma?

Anonymous2010-12-01T10:47:04Z

Favorite Answer

I think i would rather be raped than spend 20 years in prison for being accused of a rape I never commited.


Bring on the hate.....

Melissa Me2010-12-01T10:48:46Z

From a legal standpoint, the man wasn't really falsely accused. I think what you are talking about is the prosecution of the law for men under a certain age in a completely consensual relationship. This is about the parents. They were upset that this guy had sex with their daughter. She had no say in this very likely.

I find it frightening that the feelings of a 13 year old or even 14 or 15 year old aren't take into account in many places all because someone wants to send someone else to jail.

Anonymous2010-12-01T10:47:46Z

yea even after all that i'm still gonna say that it's worse to be raped than accused of it

@ meow - being accused doesn't mean you go to prison for 20 years... being found guilty doesn't even guarantee that you will serve prison time

@ roger - firstly you said falsely accused and secondly no 16 year old convicted of statutory rape serves lengthy prison time. yuo are jumping all over the place with different stipulations which is why all cases can be presented to a judge or jury so we're not regulated by black and white definitions of the law

@ caro - good point, but it fails to address the fact that the accused can move away from the community that hates him while the victim of a rape can never get away from the fact they were raped

?2016-10-01T04:47:49Z

This article is **** it has no citations of wherein it will get its so referred to as details from within the bible. It is evidently just a few idiots individual opinion. It does no longer say whether or not homosexuality is worse than rape or no longer within the bible however he does say nonetheless that each are flawed !

car051619672010-12-01T10:57:16Z

It is worse to be falsely accused. Because, A person(men are raped too) that is raped, doesn't need to change the 'court of public opinion' to get their life back. Whereas, Someone that is falsely accused has to change the 'court of public opinion' after being maliciously lied about.

Show more answers (1)