“Nonetheless, the recognition that false allegations exist — not that they’re common, but that they exist — and can be quite dangerous is a step forward. Let’s build on that. Not to promote hostility toward accusers, but to work toward a culture of fairness to both accuser and accused.”

NO — let’s not “build on that.” The reason we have the #BelieveWomen hashtag is because the default is to victim blame and believe the accused. False claims are indeed, rare. Far more common are women who never report rape because it’s not your “perfect rape” — it’s not done with violence, in a dark alley, by a complete stranger, to a girl with no character blemishes. Most women are raped by someone they know or are familiar with. It’s very often their word against the guy’s, and the more upstanding or likeable the guy is, the more she is victim-blamed.

“Not to promote hostility towards accusers” — is exactly what will happen, because it’s happening already, and to women who are not deemed to be liars, cheats etc. etc.

To suggest that the starting point of any rape allegation is that the woman could be lying is to go backwards, to not support women in what is most often a traumatic time, and to push rape victims back into the shadows where they don’t report their rapes because, yet again, what’s the point?

I suggest you get hold of a copy of “Why Women are Blamed for Everything”, by Dr. Jessica Taylor. She explores the culture of victim-blaming in great detail, and yes, this ending paragraph is why it’s still happening.