On A More Serious Note

Rape is a truly terrible act. There is not much worse than rape, but this article details something that might be. An unnamed fifteen year old girl reported to police that a Connecticut cab driver tried to rape her but she escaped. The cab driver was arrested and charged. The public assumed he was guilty, but the girl's story began to show some inconsistencies. Upon further investigation, it turns out the girl made up the story...TO GET OUT OF PAYING CAB FARE! But here's the worst part of all:

"The case is still under investigation, Moscato said, and the girl could be arrested herself for making a false report."

Could be arrested? The correct response is SHOULD be! I don't care if she is only fifteen. She caused this honest cabbie a lot of undue suffering and could have potentially ruined his life all because she wanted to get out of paying for a cab ride!?! Where is the National Organization of Women decrying this unnamed girl's actions as an affront to actual rape victims?

This is not the first case of a wholly false accusal. The article cites one other example specifically and many more have been in the news. The accused's name is dragged through the mud while the alleged victim's anonymity is strictly maintained. When the falsely accused is vindicated by evidence, the court of public opinion rarely apologizes and oftentimes, the accuser gets away without any real punishment. Some accusers have been charged, tried and convicted of false testimony and perjury, but many of them remain virtually anonymous throughout and certainly do not receive the stigma that the falsely accused is forced to deal with for the rest of his life.

Rape cannot be tolerated in a society, but to tolerate false accusations is a crime against the wrongfully accused and all those who have truly suffered from the abuse and violation of rape. The only way to stop false accusations is to no longer protect the anonymity of the accuser after the accused has been cleared. Rape is serious but being wrongfully accused of the crime has equally serious repercussions. Why shouldn't the crime of false accusation share in serious consequences as well?