Which is worse, rape or knowingly accusing the innocent of rape? Think you know the answer? Well we know what you are supposed to think but let's play a little logical game.

You have a choice. A horrible choice, but a choice....you can be violently raped once. Or....you can be accused of raping someone with the attendant utter destruction of your reputation (which can NEVER be fully rehabilitated.) and the loss of your liberty for a crime you didn't commit for 10 or so years.....where you will probably actually be raped a few dozen times.

Which would you pick? If you still say rape is worse, you are a liar or a woman who never has to worry about actually being in the second camp.

False accusations of rape are among the worst things that can happen to any human being. They make real rape victim's lives that much harder. They cannot ever recieve any leniency from a compliant press. They must be known.

People must know who Crystal Mangum is. That animal ought to be in jail herself for 10 years, right next to Mike Nifong.

I think your question is absurd. And rape is one of the most under-prosecuted crimes out there.

But I agree with you about one thing - we don't really try to prevent prison abuse. Some people even joke about it.

In fact, we don't do much to prevent date rape, military rape, or any other kind. So much more could be done.

It is a form of torture, literally, and it is an abomination. I want it stamped out. And I sure as heck don't want to pay taxes so people in prison, or the guards (in both men's and women's prisons), can engage in this kind of thing. Whatever happened to good old masturbation? I ask you!

We put too many people in prison, and we allow them to be treated much too badly once they're there. I don't care what someone's done, no one deserves that, and no one has the right to do it to someone else.

Why do you not even address the issue of false accusations? All you do is make a stateone (one I agree with BTW) that rape is under reported. Yea, but are you saying that as a way to justify false accusations? That is what it looks like.

False accusations are also an issue and one that both men and women have to fight against.

Of course false accusations are awful!

I think the question is absurd because it implies that one ought not to prosecute rape at all because sometimes, a false conviction may result. Is that what *you* want?

Otherwise, this person is asking, would you rather be raped once, or a bunch of times? How ridiculous. I'm sorry I answered this post at all.

I don't see where the top poster implied that rape shouldn't be prosecuted. I cannot speak for this top poster but I believe the point was the DA should be a lot more careful and ensure there really is a crime before meeting with the press. Some DA's do rush to judgement because they want to get their 15 minutes.

Don't be sorry you answered it since in no way was I trying to make light of the crime of rape. It is one of the most hideous crimes there are. Note that child molestation or child porn are also hideous crimes and DA also jump the gun there. Did you see the story on CNN about the parents that were arrested for having pictures of their kids in the tube? Took them months to clear their names.

I do agree the top poster could of made his point in a better way. No question about that.

therealFerdinanda:

I think the question is absurd because it implies that one ought not to prosecute rape at all because sometimes, a false conviction may result. Is that what *you* want?

Isn't the frequently stated standard "better to let 100 guilty persons go than convict one innocent"? If that's the standard, by all means, we must stop prosecuting rape - and everything else. If it isn't the standard, what is?

Let's not be silly about this. The "100 guilty persons" quote is essentially a stern injunction to take the gathering of evidence and prosecuting individuals as an extremely serious matter, to be done with exacting care, and a deeply sense of justice.

Of course, almost none of the prosecuting attornies or police who investigate crimes get within a thousand miles of the real standard I mentioned above. Conviction of innocents happens far more often than most people think. If you are interested in a real disgusting scandal in this regard, look into the use by the state of MIssissippi of one of the most incompetent forensic pathologists who ever lived, and how he continues to practice after being proven incompetent over and over.

And let us not forget the rehabilitated Eliot Spitzer, who now comes down off the mountain to Slate regularly with high moral rants. This is a man who simultaneously prosecuted prostitution rings and availed himself of their services. Wanna make a bet on how long before he is back in politics, probably with the blessing and support of the yahoos who run Slate?