00:00The Father's Association president tells the Morning Edition, the process carries a significant mental, psychological and social toll on those
00:10affected, often leaving lasting consequences even after acquittal.
00:15Though you are legally exonerated, he told me you are never socially exonerated, there's still that stigma that, you know,
00:23possibly he may have done it.
00:25Possibly the court didn't get it right. Possibly they made a mistake.
00:28And it's the hardest thing to live down. Some of the experiences they will share with you are that they
00:34will drag down their house in the middle of the night, handcuffed, brought before the court, felt like a rapist.
00:40The neighbourhood start looking at them as a rapist, their own family sometimes.
00:44Fields says the Association maintains that there must be strong and concrete evidence before charges are formally laid.
00:53We have stuff like DNA testing. One of the cases, DNA testing was refused and you have to use that
01:00as part of your investigative tools.
01:02The DPP as well mustn't be ready to charge unless they see this clear evidence that this person without a
01:09reasonable doubt has to have some implication in this matter.
01:14Fields believes there must be legal consequences for false allegations as too often it escapes accountability.
01:21Of course, because there's no real deterrence. There's no real repercussion.
01:27I mean, you go and you make this allegation. Many, after the hearing, the hearings are heard and a judge
01:34and a jury rule and the evidence comes out,
01:39you realize there's rampant fabrication in particular cases and there's no consequence.
01:45He says, rape is a serious offence, warning that false claims can undermine credibility and lead to greater scepticism toward
01:55genuine victims in the future.
01:58Nicole M. Romney, TV6 News.
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