Anonymity for people accused of sex offences? Male opinions sought please

[Pastalover]

Hello,
As part of my Masters in Forensic Psychology and Criminal Investigation I am writing a dissertation on whether the public feel that defendants accused (not yet convicted) of sex offences should be granted anonymity.
Anyone over 18 can participate and data will be kept confidential. I appreciate it is a sensitive subject so would be very grateful for any help with this. I particularly need male viewpoints!
www.surveymonkey.com/s/5R7H9KT
Many thanks.

[Keepithidden]

Done, uncomfortable reading, still not sure on whether my thinking is correct with this one. I suspect (hope?) it will change over time, but at the moment with the poor rates of sexual offence reporting and conviction, I'm veering towards zero anonymity.

But then, that goes against my feelings of "innocent until proven guilty".

Proper 'doublethink' required I reckon.

[squizita]

But what if someone is genuinely wrongly accused? Mistaken identity or (as has happened in my area) controlling parents pressurising a daughter to report her consensual boyfriend because she was 15 (he was 16) and it had devalued her as a wife?

Would anyone even care about the 'not guilty' in such cases- would the person end up killed or abused daily? In which case this might tempt people to 'witch hunt' or mis-report. At the moment anonymity prevents this, and actually helps prosecutors - in places where things are media mad and 'leaked' defence lawyers often bring this in to muddy the waters. It could actually make a conviction harder.

[Pastalover]

Thanks for doing my survey! I know, so many "it depends on...."
Appreciate your help.

[weegiemum]

I've done it, just concerned there are a few issues that don't give a no-agree option.

[Keepithidden]

Well, yes squizita, that's exactly the quandary I have!

On balance I 'spose I'm making the distinction between which is worse: the thousands of men who get away with rape and sexual assault on a day to day basis, or the ten, twenty, thirty (hundreds?) who would be wrongfully accused and found "not guilty" and have their lives wrecked in the process.

• NB - All numbers plucked out of the air so don't ask me to back them up. I suspect that the unreported stuff is likely to be far higher than the innocent few tho'

[Pastalover]

Weegiemum, a no-agree option? Can you please clarify - thanks!

[BoneyBackJefferson]

I do find it amusing that a survey about anonymity is not anonymous.

[Pastalover]

Still looking for lots of participants, and many thanks to everyone who has already done it.
A name/reference is only requested in the survey so that your data can be easily traced should you decide to withdraw. It does not therefore have to be your real name.

[BoneyBackJefferson]

pasta

Is was just something that tickled my warped sense of humour.

I have completed your survey, but I do think that you should have a "don't know" box.

[Pastalover]

In that case mine is warped too...! :)

Thanks for doing the survey, and the feedback - I will use it in my discussion as you are not the first to mention that.

[Pastalover]

To anyone else out there who would not mind taking 5 mins to do my survey, it would be very much appreciated.
I still need about 70 participants to - hopefully - get some useful data and produce some interesting findings :)
THANK YOU!!

[DoingItForMyself]

done.

[SabrinaMulhollandJjones]

Can I ask why you particularly want male opinions please?

[Pastalover]

Hi, I need both male and female opinions, it was just because I was posting on the Dadsnet page and also, at the time I had a lot more female responses than male, but that has levelled out and I now need both so please don't let that put you off! Thanks.

[DoingItForMyself]

Oh whoops, I hadn't noticed the male bit.

[Pastalover]

No problem, DoingItForMyself, I need both male and female. Sorry for the confusion! (see my post above).

[SabrinaMulhollandJjones]

Ok, I've done it.

[sheilatakeabow]

Done it

[hollycomputer]

I would have done it as I've got very strong opinions on anonymity for people accused of sex offences but I'm not comfortable with the fact the survey requires my name. Sorry.

[worldgonecrazy]

I started doing the survey but haven't finished it because the questions are too open ended.

"Sex offender" covers everyone from a hardcore paedophile (most are uncurable) and someone who has been convicted of flashing in public. There is no discrimination in the survey for this, and whilst I think paedophiles are probably safest for them and the public in a secure unit, the other end of the scale can probably be rehabilitated.

Sorry - can't help on this occasion, though I think that sex offenders should have anonymity at least until public trial, i.e. after the CPS have decided there is enough evidence to prosecute.

[Pastalover]

Thank you if you have taken the time to do it and also to those of you who have given your reasons for deciding not to.
Totally understand not wanting to give your name, and how that may deter potential participants.
Also, yes someone on the other board also mentioned about the actual definition of sex offence/offender and how this should be reflected in the survey. For statistical analysis it would make it much more complex, but I'd like to incorporate into the discussion as I think it could be explored more in-depth using interviews or focus groups. It's really useful feedback, thanks!

[hollycomputer]

I'm with worldgonecrazy - having seen the devastation of someone's life because of a false accusation, I think it's totally wrong to name the accused.

[DoingItForMyself]

I ended up putting quite wishy washy answers for the reasons stated, I think there is a world of difference between someone in the public eye who may have touched someone's bum without their consent 40 years ago and a brutal rapist.

There are too many variables within the term 'sex offender' to make meaningful statements relating to anyone accused or convicted of a sexual offence. I know some people don't like to differentiate between 'types' of rape, believing that any sex without consent is as bad as any other, but I believe that where questions of anonymity and prison sentencing/rehabilitation are concerned, there are different degrees of sex offender and this has a huge bearing on the answers.

[CaptChaos]

Have done it, did you mean to include rape myths in the questions?

Sex offenders have no more right to anonymity that any other type of offender, probably less, given how prolific some of them are.

[Pastalover]

Hi CaptChaos, thanks for participating. No, I didn't include rape myths in the survey although very relevant and will be discussed as part of the study.....