Sept 9 is Falsely Accused Day. This initiative was started in the UK by groups in Liverpool Manchester and London.
The day is being marked in a number of countries including US, UK, Australia and Argentina. See https://falselyaccusedday.org/
In Ireland Mens Voices is marking the day with a petition titled: The State Must Investigate and Prosecute False Accusations
Please sign our petition here: https://chng.it/JSxDGMgZd2
and circulate it to people you know.
In Ireland and in the countries named there is a very lax attitude adopted by the State, the Gardai and the judicial authorities towards false accusations despite the enormous and destructive damage such an accusation can bring on the head of a falsely accused man.
MVI has a dossier of cases going back some years of women convicted of false accusations but who got off with a suspended sentence or a fine. When we recall that the average sentence for rape is more than 10 years the idea that a woman who makes a false accusation of rape can get off with a suspended sentence or a fine is frankly outrageous and simply encourages more of the same.
As it happens, a recent case of false accusation of sexual assault, is very pertinent and perfectly illustrates the official attitude.
Denise Cribbin initially avoided jail time for a lie about sexual assault through a wholly suspended sentence, but the DPP appealed this for undue leniency and it was replaced with a one-year custody order in March.
She started her sentence in the Dóchas Women’s prison on March 13; however, she spent less than three months behind bars before being released to a prisoners’ outlook centre in Dublin in June.