<p>NY Post Online reporting tonight that the alleged victim has recanted and said the encounter was consensual. The arrested suspect has been released. District Attorney dropping all charges. If indeed the story of the attack was fabricated, should news organizations publish the name of the purported victim, as they did the names of the alleged assailants?</p>
<p>This is the first I’ve heard of this case, but in general i wish the media would hold back on reporting names on both sides. The TV stations around here are quick to rush stories on the air, often before any real information is known.</p>
<p>"HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. (AP) — Authorities in New York say the Hofstra University student who told police that she had been gang-raped by five men on campus has recanted her story.
Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice said in a statement released late Wednesday that the alleged victim told law enforcement officials that the sex was consensual.</p>
<p>Rice said Nassau County Judge Robert Bruno then dismissed the charges against the four men and ordered their release."</p>
<p>And, yes, I think they should report the name of the criminal who lied about being raped.</p>
<p>[Delawareonline</a> - Hofstra University student recants rape story](<a href=“USA TODAY - Breaking News and Latest News Today”>USA TODAY - Breaking News and Latest News Today)</p>
<p>Unbelievable!</p>
<p>That’s so sad that a girl would have a ‘consensual’ act with that many men. Just heartbreaking to think where her mind/self-esteem is at…</p>
<p>It’s a lot more than sad that she would falsely accuse that many men.</p>
<p>that’s messed up.</p>
<p>It’s disturbing to me, not only that this girl falsely accused the boys of rape, but that the boys felt that, even if consensual, this was appropriate behavior.</p>
<p>^^ Consensual behavior is just that–consensual. No reason to hold the guys to a higher standard than the girl who gave her consent. Many people engage in sexual behavior that others might find offensive. That is why the the concept of “consensual” is so crucial.</p>
<p>Disturbing yes, common? I bet it is more than we would care to believe. Recall my freshman year, walking down a male hallway calling out a friends name looking for him and a room mate. It was after a Thursday night dorm party, fire alarm had been pulled to clear out the party, got separated from my friends. Alcohol was freely served back then, (before the 21 law). A male voice responded “we are in here”, someone opened the door(not at all the friends I had been looking for) Well I saw a girl with about 4 or 5 guys all in states of undress and they weren’t playing strip poker. Nobody seemed to be there against their will. I got out of there as fast as I could.</p>
<p>Release the name. She deserves to have it drug through the mud.</p>
<p>edit: Not for the act. You can do whatever you want with your own body. False rape accusations are horrifying though. You not only undermine those who were actually raped but you also can ruin others lives, even if later on they’re proven innocent.</p>
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<p>purpleflurp, I’m aware of the definition of consensual, and I don’t hold the boys to a higher standard. I think it’s equally inappropriate behavior on the part of all of them, even if consensual.</p>
<p>^^alwaysamom:</p>
<p>I don’t disagree with you. In fact, I personally agree. However, many people believe that sodomy is “inappropriate” and offensive and “wrong,” but presumably gay men and some heterosexual people do not. The problem with the scenario above was around the girl’s blantant lie and less so about her individual choice of sexual behavior (unless you have a vested interest in her self esteem or specific concern for her in relation to STDs).</p>
<p>As a Hofstra parent (D is a junior), this has been a very upsetting week for the entire Hofstra community. Last night, the parents were notified by email of the recent developments: </p>
<p>"To the Members of the Hofstra Community:
We have been notified by the Nassau County District Attorneys Office that the young woman involved in the alleged rape incident has recanted her claims against the five young men.</p>
<p>This week has been a very difficult one for our entire community, and we will need time to heal and understand the events of the last few days. As additional information becomes available we will post it on the University home page."</p>
<p>Although it did take approximately 24 hours after the incident for any “official”
notification by the University, I can only say that they have been extremely forthcoming with information and assistance not only to the student body, but to the parents as well. This has been a very unfortunate incident, and I do feel badly for all parties involved, but glad to know that it was not a random act of violence on the campus.</p>
<p>I think she should have her name released. With the day and age of the internet, many companies google the prospective employee, forever these guys will have that follow them. She did that to them and if her name is not released she gets off free compared to them.</p>
<p>Horrible and stupid, yes. But then again - anyone who would engage in the act, then file a false report to the police has to be unbalanced. I wonder what combination of drugs/alcohol were involved?</p>
<p>Not to belabor the point, although I suppose that’s exactly what I’m doing, purpleflurp, but maybe the word inappropriate isn’t conveying exactly what I mean about this situation. An 18 year old girl having consensual sex with five young men at once, and five young men having consensual sex with an 18 year old girl at once (forgive me but I do not know the exact ages of the boys), is not healthy, either physically or emotionally, for any of them. I would be very upset if the girl was one of my Ds or if I had Ss, if any of the boys were my son. I am not a prude, by any stretch of the imagination, and I think that young men and women of that age having consensual, and protected, sex in a committed relationship is normal.</p>
<p>Having spent my career as a psychologist counselling youth, I can tell you that the situation with these kids at Hofstra is not anywhere close to the norm, nor is it healthy, for any of them, consensual or not. It’s not unusual for rape victims to recant so I hope for this girl’s sake she actually did make it up and she’s not recanting for any other reason. In either scenario, I hope she gets some counselling, and I hope those boys get a few words from their mothers!</p>
<p>alwaysmom- the sad thing is I bet it is more common than you would expect.<br>
I do happen to agree with you that it is unhealthy behavior for everyone involved.</p>
<p>Every high-school teenager should read Until Proven Innocent. It provides a lot of lessons on the potential results of our behavior (and even non-behavior), that the police and prosecutors can be out to get you (innocence is less important than winning), and that you and your family can be put through hell on the whim of another person. Good reading for sons and daughters alike.</p>
<p>“alwaysmom- the sad thing is I bet it is more common than you would expect.”</p>
<p>Agree with Tom on this one. Although I personally find the behavior disturbing, I suspect it happens often on college campuses and also among consenting adults in “the real world.” </p>
<p>In response to the original question, if it is determined that the girl was not under undue pressure to recant for a reason other than that the original story was a lie, I think that her name should be published. But then, I am against the publishing of the names of those accused of “alleged” sexual assault before there is significant proof.</p>