I agree to an extent. sometimes though, it is far to late and the damage is already done and even suing for defamation, libel/slander cannot undo the damage.

My issue is with the fact that as it stands the allegation of rape, especially against a male is met with pitchforks and torches. There does not need to be an actual verdict, just an allegation and his life is over.

As an example, I have a male client who is in his mid/late 40's. He was employed at a local business office and had been there for 11 years, and according to statements from his coworkers, he was extremely well liked, even though he was a male in a mostly female office and 15-20 years older than the majority of people that worked there. Many statements said they saw him as a kind and caring person and was generally recognized as a "father" figure for many of the office staff. At least 7 of the females on staff (there were 16 people there 13 of which were female) stated that they trusted him enough to seek him out for his input on personal issues such as dating/marriage and that at various times over the years they had approached him in this regard.

One night at the office Christmas party he drove 3 coworkers home, who had a bit to much to drink. He dropped the first two off and then the 3rd. He then went home to his wife and kids. The next afternoon the police showed up at his door and he was booked on charges of rape. It seems the 3rd female didn't recall much of the evening, as she was quite drunk and when she woke up in the morning at her parents home, in her own bed, but partly clothed, she assumed the worst. He lost his job, his reputation, his home and his family all in a span of 52 days after the allegation.

He was declared not guilty 1 year and 4 months later. Based in part on GPS from his vehicle showing that the drive from the 2nd female to the last females home took a total of 3 minutes and some seconds, and that his vehicle idled in her parents driveway for a bit over 5 minutes, which coincided with his statement that he helped her from his vehicle, walked her to her parents door and then inside, as she had gotten ill just outside the door and he did not feel comfortable leaving her out in the cold, as he felt that in her condition she may pass out without being able to get herself inside where it was warm. He then took her shoes off for her, made her comfortable on the couch and got her a glass of water for the morning. It was later discovered that her state of partial undress was due to her waking up sometime later and removing her own clothing as she went upstairs to her own room. She did not recall doing so as she was to drunk.

For 1 year and 4 months he lived as an accused rapist. He lived with the stigma and the surrounding issues that come with it. He was demonized in the papers, and his prior social circles It destroyed his life, he tried twice to commit suicide. He tried in vain to tell folks that he did not do this, but nobody would listen, due to the overwhelming negative response that society has with accused male rapists, which is much less for females accused of such, as evidenced by the responses from the general public in this case, and in many prior female on male accused rape.

He lost everything that he held dear. He had to move and leave his children behind in a different city, due to death threats and inability to find work now that his reputation was destroyed. Further, he had to legally change his name after getting to the new city. Even today, after being found not guilty, he is fighting with child protection services (and his ex-wife) just to be able to see his children for a day unsupervised.

All this from an accusation. Regardless of what he can do after, such as filing for slander and the like, it is far to late and far to little to ever help him. The bias against accused male rapists and accused female rapists is highly evident in society today. Rape is a despicable act and anyone who perpetrates a rape should be held fully accountable under the law. But there seems to be 2 sets of societal values on rape, based on the gender of the accused. Only when both male and females are held to the exact same standard under the law, and in the view of society, will we achieve any parity in this regard.