I think part of it is the issue that surrounds any sexual crime... whether it be rape or paedophillia or any sexual related offense, there seems to be a culture in the media that declares the plaintiff guilty before there is even a trial and this has massive impact on juries, especially in high profile cases where a celebrity is involved. It sometimes seems as if the age old concept of sub judice does not apply to these cases and so trial by media is becoming a common occurence.

Rape is an odd one... it is very hard to prove intent as it usually ends up as one person's word against anothers (after all, how many people take witnesses with them on a date?) and those sorts of court cases rarely end well or without mess and ambiguity. On the one hand I agree that women (and men) need to be protected from this absolutely vile crime (because I am something of a feminist myself, well by marriage anyway ) and that the law needs to shake off that old fashioned view that women 'were just asking for it' (and I am pleased that this article shows this to be the case) but I am also concerned about the fact that it is now easier for women to maliciously call rape and apparently get away with it. It is swinging in the opposite direction and that is going to lead to another backlash and a swing back to the bad old days of 'she wore a short skirt ergo...'