For a long time, the number given out for false rape accusations was just 2 percent. With just about any crime, there is going to be a bit of false reporting, and it was thought that rape and sex crimes fit right in with the standard amount — which is also about 2 percent. However, some people are now challenging that, saying that false rape accusations may be more common than previously thought, both in Colorado and elsewhere.
One person who worked in the field for years even said that he felt rape was one of the types of crimes that was falsely reported most often. He had worked fighting for criminal charges for accused rapists, but he noticed that not all of the cases that came before him were backed up in facts.
One detective said that the typical amount of accusations that his department saw every weekend tended to hang right around four or five. However, he noted that there were “significantly less” real cases than those that first crossed his desk as reports. He counted in this number the calls coming from people who thought their drinks had been drugged. He said that it often happened just because the people making the calls did not have a full grasp on the ramifications of calling in without a real report.
This is important to remember when accusations for sex offenses are handed out. Everyone deserves to have a fair trial, and due process must be observed. This way, the court can work to make sure that convictions are only given out when they are fully justified.
