Which would you be more likely to forgive? Someone who wrongly accused you of rape, or someone who raped you?

Question

As I posted in my earlier question today (a story which I'm only repeating out of sheer boredom)...

"Ronald Cotton was wrongly accused of rape by Jennifer Thompson-Cannino. He was convicted mostly based on her eye witness testimony, in which she swore she was positive he was the rapist. Eleven years later, DNA evidence proved he was innocent, and Cotton was exonerated and released from prison.

Two years later, Thompson-Cannino went to him to beg his forgiveness. He forgave her right away, and the two became good friends, and they now speak out together against the way eye witness testimony is used in trials.

Part 1: http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=5153451n
Part 2: http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=5153459n "

Which would you be more likely to forgive? Someone who raped you, or someone who wrongly accused you of rape? Which crime do you think is easier to forgive, and why?

Answer 1

neither one would deserve forgiveness, either way they have destroyed the other persons life...if people think you are a rapist, youre life if fouled. especially if its ina small town where everyone knows everyone elses business...ok, this guy did 11 years in prison for a crime he didnt commit, now what? theres 11 years of his life spent behind bars for nothing, how do you make that right? no amount of money, or pubic apologies, or anything else can make up for losing 11 years of his life....sure, if a person is raped, its traumatic, but it does pass, you dont completely lose years off your life for something you didnt do. anyone who would falsely accuse someone of rape should be put in prison for the same number of years the rapist would have gotten if proven guilty, maybe more. its sickening.

Answer 2

I could be raped and beat several times in prison.

So I wouldn't forgive the false rape accuser.

Answer 3

If I had to spend years in prison because of false accusation then I would, of course, forgive a rapist before.

if I am found not guilty of rape in a court of law then I would forgive the false accuser before.



I'd like to see all these people, who say they would forgive the false accuser, after 10 years in prison - they would want death for the false accuser, forgiving would be the last thing on their mind. The men you mention in the article is of special breed.

Answer 4

Neither.



To me thats like asking, who would you be more llikely to forgive your mother for killing your favorite dog, or your father. Both are equally bad. Just like with your senerio because one person physically raped you, while the other person raped you of your freedom.

Answer 5

But women never lie about sex.



You must be an evil misogynist.

Answer 6

I would forgive the rapist more easily. Rape happens once. Prison rape and beatings happen more than once most likely. And there goes my reputations when I get out.



Edit: Oh yeah, if I am found not guilty then I would more easily forgive the false accuser.

Answer 7

I think a rapist, because I think they're more likely to do it out of legitimate and clear insanity, rather than out of some cold calculating cruelty or for personal gain. I somehow feel more sorry for people who are crazy in a direct way, than for those who are just as sick in the head, but are more sophisticated about it.

Answer 8

NOT the person who wrongly accused, because when I am in jail and MY reputation is ruined and I am demonized, I may be raped several times in prison.



I will more likely forgive the rapist.

Answer 9

In the case you described, it sounds like the woman made a genuine mistake in identifying him, rather than a deliberate false accusation. In that case, there would be nothing to forgive - the person to blame for me going to jail would be the real rapist for committing the crime, not the victim who made a mistake. They were both victims of the rapist.



If it was a deliberate false accusation, then I wouldn't forgive either of them. Both would have made a calculated decision to seriously hurt me and probably affect the rest of my life. I see no reason to forgive something like that. If I was in jail for several years then it may take longer to move on from a false accusation, but that doesn't mean a rapist's crime is any less.

Answer 10

A false and MALICIOUS rape accusation is rape.



In the case you cited, there was no malice. Therefore no rape.