There are many valid indictments against the way police departments have treated women who report rape. One being that many presume most reports are false. (Against Our Will: Men, Women, and Rape, Susan Brownmiller, p 408) Not that such an assumption is entirely without merit, however. When women fight, they commonly lie, back stab, and sabotage others. (Women Vs. Women: The Uncivil Business War, Tara Roth Madden, p 1) The police know this, and some feel it is better to err, therefore, on the side of skepticism. Particularly when dealing with something like rape where an alleged victim can portray even an innocent liaison as a crime.

Brownmiller dismisses this, prejudicially preferring to believe such skepticism "is based on the cherished male assumption that female persons tend to lie." (Against Our Will, Susan Brownmiller, p 414) While there is no doubt some men have such sexist attitudes, most women experience just the opposite. (Savvy Woman, June 1989, The Money Pit, p 106, by Christine VanDeVelde) Generally, men accept women at their word, and trust them. Hence, it's understanding how women fight, and how easy it is to trump up a false accusation of rape, that formerly armed the police with a certain cynicism about it.

It's extremely difficult to fake a murder. Falsifying theft is not easy. But a person can charge rape with no evidence to support the accusation. Officers of the law understand this. Unfortunately, too many may have allowed their too many years dealing with people who lie, cheat, steal and kill to excuse them from treating every allegation with respect and sensitivity.

Women may lie about consensual sex, calling it rape. But men may also lie about rape, calling it consensual sex. Thus, every accusation must be treated with respect without losing sight of the fact the line between rape and consent may be fine. Each complaint needs to be judged only on the basis of full and unbiased discovery of facts, and every defendant is, and must be, presumed innocent until proven otherwise.

This should be obvious. But where pop-feminists say even consensual sex is rape, sometimes the obvious needs to be said.