The delicate nature of sex crimes requires that prosecutors have strong evidence to support a conviction of any alleged perpetrator. If prosecutors are unable to provide enough evidence that a person has been the victim of a sexual assault, or if there are extenuating circumstances surrounding the assault, the situation simply becomes the word of a woman against the word of a man. When the person who is accused of the crime has a past history of sexual misconduct, it becomes even more important that evidence is sufficient to convict, rather than just the word of the alleged victim.
A young girl who suffers from several mental disorders claims she was raped by a Wisconsin man who is serving time for two previous exposure convictions. The man was out on bail at the time of the alleged attack. According to the girl, the man raped her in his vehicle after grabbing her from her family’s deck in the middle of the night.
DNA samples were taken from the young girl’s clothes after she was able to escape and return home. The samples matched those of the man who has been accused of the crime. The young girl claims she did not report the assault to her mother for fear of getting in trouble.
In a case such as this, it may seem obvious what happened, but the mental state of the girl combined with the fact that the attack was not quickly reported may suggest more to the story. It is unknown if the girl knew him prior to the alleged attack. Any person who has been charged with a sex crime may want to consult an attorney to determine if there is sufficient evidence against them to prove the contact was not consensual.
Source: Wisconsin State Journal, “DNA evidence leads to rape, kidnapping charges against suspect,” Ed Treleven, March 28, 2013