Citation

Lisak D. Violence Against Women 2010; 16(12): 1372-1374.

Affiliation

University of Massachusetts Boston. dlisakfc@gmail.com.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/1077801210387751

PMID

21164214

Abstract

The historic and continuing preoccupation with the issue of false rape allegations is embedded in a profound fear of the vulnerability that rape victims represent. That fear leads to an intense need to shun the victim, a shunning that is accomplished most effectively by disbelieving that a rape ever occurred. Ironically, the preoccupation with false rape allegations increases our collective vulnerability. It serves to further undermine the criminal justice response to rape, thereby permitting serial rapists-who commit the vast majority of rapes-to continue preying on the vulnerable.

Language: en