Rotorua police deal with only one or two false rape complaints a year, generally becoming aware "relatively quickly something is not quite right", says Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Loper.
"We don't get many [false rape allegations] at all. The majority of the offences reported certainly have some substance."
His
comments follow the revelation that an Auckland woman fabricated a complaint she had been brutally raped at gunpoint by a man who claimed to be a police officer.
Police investigate hundreds of sexual crimes in Rotorua each year ranging from indecent assault to rape.
"It can be a couple of days or it can be a couple of weeks [to establish if a complaint is genuine]. We go through the process of investigating fully. There is so much evidence to say there is something not quite right."
Mr Loper said false complaints could hold up police resources "quite considerably" and prevented them investigating other sexual allegations, robberies and more serious crimes.
An initial investigation into a rape allegation could take two weeks, tying up about staff who talked to witnesses, examined the scene, dealt with the media and made other inquiries.
Someone who makes a false complaint can face a charge of wasting police time or making a false statement - the maximum penalty for which is three months' imprisonment or a $2000 fine.
Mr Loper said if the case reached court before it was revealed a person has lied, he or she could face harsher penalties.
However, there had been occasions when a person making a false complaint had not been charged.
"Sometimes it is a cry for help and they have other issues and we refer them to other agencies for help," Mr Loper said.
Often the person making the false complaint will not name the perpetrator and will be quite vague about the details, although there have been times when the person laying the complaint has identified the person they alleged committed the offence.
"We do get the occasional one where they identify someone. Obviously there are issues around that relationship," Mr Loper said.
Meanwhile, Rotorua Sexual Abuse Centre counsellor Anne Ward said the outcome of the recent Auckland complaint which led to the woman being charged with laying a false complaint was proof police were investigating rape claims properly.
"It affirms the police investigation was carried out thoroughly. We can have confidence their processes do work. They put all those resources into investigating the complaint and it was found out to be false. It does show they have taken the complaint seriously." The Rotorua centre sees about 600 women annually.
Although it was rare, if someone was making up a rape allegation it would soon become evident during counselling, Ms Ward said.
"Over time their story can change or isn't as consistent."
However, if a woman is abused or raped more than once, she can often mix up facts.
"When someone is traumatised they can sometimes recall stuff from the previous attack," she said.
Bail for 'victim', p5
Few false rapes reported in Rotorua
Rotorua police deal with only one or two false rape complaints a year, generally becoming aware "relatively quickly something is not quite right", says Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Loper.
"We don't get many [false rape allegations] at all. The majority of the offences reported certainly have some substance."
His
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