Should fake accusers be punished

I came across an article today that made me do some thinking. In light of recent events with the kavanaugh hearing, I was wondering if people accusing someone falsely should be punished in accordance with the accused crime.

Now before anyone jumps the gun, I'm Not saying that miss ford should be jailed because her claims couldn't be proven. If proven she lied then that's a different story.

The linked story is about a boy accused by two females of sexual assault just because they didn't like him.

He was removed from school, placed under house arrest and I'm sure had all kinds of harrassment sent his way.

"The girls—dubbed "mean girls" in the lawsuit, a reference to the 2004 Lindsay Lohan film—admitted on tape that they made up the assault story. One said, "I just don't like him" and "[I] would do anything to get him expelled," according to The Toronto Sun."

Now it has been discovered that he was innocent and is now suing the school. I dont understand how the school is responsible but maybe that will come out later.

My question is, do these girls deserve punishment equal to the punishment the boy would have received if found guilty?

I say yes.

reason.com...

Its a problematic issue.

In Scotland for example our legal system has a ruling of "insufficient evidence", so with out getting too much into it, its possible for a individual to be accused of rape only to be found not guilty....but they still did it, just means that there wasn't enough evidence to prove them guilty. I don't think it would be right to then have a legal mechanism by which the "innocent man" (who actually in some instances could be guilty) then gets to punish the alleged victim. That then creates another problem; sexual assaults are massively under-reported, if you fear as a victim that your attacker might be found not-guilty then come after you for a "false" accusation then even less sexual assaults will be reported.

Yet there is no denying that fake accusations are made, however I read a while back that the number of cases where this can be proven or is even likely is actually very low.

So for me I would have to say that if you can prove that a individual has made a fake accusation of sexual assault against another then that individual should be punished harshly. The only issue is trying to prove it.

I know some would say that a verdict of "not-guilty" means that the allegation was falsified but for me personally that will never always be the case. I guess its about getting that balance so yeah, if you can prove that the allegation was faked in someway then though the book at them. So in the case you describe above OP, yeah those girls should be punished to the same extent of their false allegations.

Frankly, I think someone who knowingly makes a false claim against someone deserves to be sent to jail. Rape is no laughing matter and men get the book thrown at them whether they did it or not. The damage done to someone's reputation for even a claim they can prove is false really can't be calculated. It's a monstrous thing to do to someone.

a reply to: OtherSideOfTheCoin

To me when the investigation takes place on the accused, it would be fairly easy to determine if the accuser was lying.

The same burden of proof should apply.

originally posted by: Bluntone22
a reply to: OtherSideOfTheCoin

To me when the investigation takes place on the accused, it would be fairly easy to determine if the accuser was lying.

The same burden of proof should apply.

Yes but thats not always the case.

Sometimes with out DNA or physical proof a rape can be hard to prove, doesn't change the fact that it happened.

Honestly its not a topic I don't particularly like discussing online because I don't think it gets the sensitivity it deserves, so with out getting to much into it those are my views take em or leave em.

Yes.

I hate to get biblical, especially since I'm not religious, but bearing false witness is a commandment for a reason. It should be punished as a lie can and often does ruin the lives of otherwise innocent people.

Hell yes. The school presumed guilty before a trial. Their decision was reckless and
makes them libel.
The accusers should face the same penalty as the person they accused.
Now if by chance an accidental accusation took place
that would be up to a judge or jury.

Reckless accusations can not be tolerated.

a reply to: nfflhome

I imagine if the school didn't respond this way the girls would sue.
I'm not sure how the school could win in either case.

Anyone who lies to authorities, judge and jury with false accusations should 100% be punished, the punishment must befit the crime though, in which case it is perjury (i think), I dont think someone no matter how publicised or not should be sentenced longer than befits the crime though.

If the accused is actually guilty of serious sexual assault I would hope they serve a great deal longer inside (minimum 15yrs IMO) than someone who lies/falsely accuses.

Its obviously would be devastating to someone to be wrongly accused, be that loss of current/future employment alongside a custodial sentence, possible could lead to commiting suicide, horrible tragic consequences but for whatever reason I still do not want sentencing to be based on the severity of the crime being accused if found to be lying.

After writing that though I do hope perjury carries a severe enough sentence because it is definitely a crime with heavy consequences.

I agree with OSOTC.

It's a pretty slippery slope so I'd say only punish them if it can be proven beyond a shadow of doubt.

A2D

a reply to: Agree2Disagree

As I said earlier, the same burden of proof should apply.

a reply to: Bluntone22

Hell yes they do. I believe anyone who falsely accuses someone of something should face the charges that the accused would have faced.

High school girls wanting him expelled simply because they don't like him? Hot #ing damn if that's not exactly how the democrats act when they call for impeaching Trump simply because they don't like him.

Hopefully these two girls grow up and are able to outgrow childish hatred, God knows the democrats haven't. Those two girls are headed for a life of misery if they don't mature.

a reply to: Agree2Disagree

There was a case in the UK of a women who was raped by her husband (like he did actually rape her), so she went to the police, anyway her husband pleads with her does all that usual mind control crap that monsters use on victims of domestic abuse so she decides to withdrawn and retract the allegation and goes back with hubby.

She ended up getting sentence to 8 months for perverting the course of justice , now thankfully it was appealed and reduced down to a community sentence after she spent a couple of weeks in jail.

Since then the laws have been changed to say that they would only pursue such action if he (the rapist in this case) actually requests the police to pursue such a case but it demonstrates the real dangers that this line of thinking can have.

If the standards of proof were the same, and the evidence available to prove, beyond a doubt that the accusation was false, than yes they should (and have) been punished.

Now a civil court suing for libel or slander is a different matter, but as stated before this is a dangerous argument. Unless dna is taken right after the fact....it's hard for the accuser and prosecutor to make a case. Many accusations will look fake to someone from an outside view. We also know that many crimes go unreported, so consider that when you consider these accusations.

Anyway there's no easy answer here.

What we as a society should do is help victims come forward with a more humane approach and find a better way to get them to do it sooner.

a reply to: Bluntone22


The liar should be punished and held accountable for their actions.

Everyone involved should be expelled.

Zero tolerance for both students, and faculty.

Then let the legal system sort it out.

a reply to: OtherSideOfTheCoin

There will always be cases like the one you mentioned. Hopefully they are rare..

a reply to: Bluntone22

If found to be lying, I think they absolutely should be sentenced to the maximum sentence of the crime they falsely accused someone of.

"If the witness is a false witness and has accused his brother falsely, then you shall do to him as he had meant to do to his brother"- Deuteronomy ch19 vv18-19
I take this to mean that the false accuser suffers the same penalty that his victim would have suffered if convicted.

a reply to: DISRAELI

I dont think the ten commandments apply in a courtroom