Twin Falls Reminded Again Of The Tragedy Of Rape (OPINION)

The past few days in Twin Falls have been another bitter reminder of just how awful rape is. I can't state this clearly enough. I don't want to imply any guilt or innocence to the accuser or the accused. I don't know either party, but regardless of who's telling the truth, this is a profound tragedy.

One of two things has happened. Either a man did the one thing to a woman that no man should ever do. Or, a woman has made false accusations that will forever scar a man's life and career. Both are profoundly sad.

It's extremely disturbing to read the comments on Facebook after we initially reported the incident that happened over the weekend. There were individuals that were ready to hang the accused without hearing any other evidence. Then, there was another group that alleged that the accuser was lying. Breaking news: unless you are the accuser or the accused, you have no idea what the full truth is.

Can I make a request? Before you even think about uttering one word about this terrible incident, please go do some research on the lifelong effects that happen to victims of sexual assault. And, while you're at it, please also read the story of a man that was falsely accused of rape.

It might also be worth your time to get up-to-speed on what qualifies as slander when you comment online.

The one thing we can all agree on no matter what our opinion of this case happens to be is that it is tragic for all of us in Twin Falls and the Magic Valley.