Here is an interesting article on this subject.
http://www.emedicinehealth.com/articles/12529-4.asp
Particularly sanguine to the above discussion would be the following:
Quote:
People invent allegations of sexual assault for reasons that should be regarded as criminal and despicable. One study showed that over a 9-year period, up to 16% of sexual assault allegations in one sexual assault examination center were shown after police investigation to be false allegations. Authorities, people accused of sexual assault, victims of sexual assault, and the perpetrators of false allegations should be aware that the possibility of a false allegation will be considered during the investigation of an assault.
In most cases of real sexual assault, ample evidence of the assault will exist. In cases of false accusations, it is equally likely that there will be clear signs that the accusation is false. Making false accusations is a crime.
Another article, which highlights the changes over time to the definition or rape:
http://llr.lls.edu/volumes/v33-issue3/greer.pdf
and one that highlights the specific changes to law:
http://encarta.msn.com/text_761564013__1/Rape_(law).html
including a definition of date rape, which is very similar to the one presented earlier in this thread:
Quote:
An acquaintance may commit forcible rape. However, the term acquaintance rape is usually applied when the sexual intercourse is nonconsensual but does not involve the physical coercion typically associated with forcible rape, such as assault or threats of violence.
and the explicit notice that:
Quote:
As the legal definition of rape has expanded, more sexual acts count as rape.
Regarding the notion that a rape accusation should just be "dealt with" and has no real negative outcome, I offer this quote
Quote:
When the UKMM submitted an earlier petition in 1999 on false allegations, we quoted the that two completely innocent men had hung themselves in the space of two years as a result of being maliciously accused of rape.
From this petition to a Scottish court:
http://www.ukmm.org.uk/camp/rapealleg.htm
Anyhow, since there seems to be a strong bias toward providing proof, or citations to make a point, I figured I would make my inaugural post to this thread with that in mind.
Edited, Sat Aug 27 12:40:18 2005 by xaanru