It's completely irresponsible and even malicious for people to say that 22 hours to report a rape is "fishy." That's likely an average. In fact, most rape victims don't report their attacks at all. The first call a woman typically makes in rape cases is not to the police, it's usually to a girlfriend and it's not right away. Here's why:
Rape victims typically know their attacker, which many are saying is the case here. The woman must ponder 1) Do they take an action that can lead to their friend or acquaintance spending years behind bars? 2) Is it worth suffering through the inevitable humiliation, shaming and disgrace associated with a trial? (In this case it would be much worse, as it is so high-profile). Women typically report that going through a prolonged legal process, the insensitivity of people in the community who accuse the victim of "fishy" behavior, the cross examination by sleazy defense attorneys etc.., is worse than the rape itself. 3) Given the fact that only 2% of all rapes actually end up with the attacker spending ANY time in jail, is it really worth going through the suffering that nearly all rape victims go through during the legal process? 4)Am I responsible for what just happened to me? How could this happen to me?
The woman must deal with these questions while she is dealing with the stress and aftermath of the act of rape itself. Additionally, she may be suffering from Rape Trauma Syndrome which can lead a woman to be hysterical, paralyzed by anxiety, disoriented, or having an acute sensitivity to being around other people (which is another factor in the time it takes to report a rape, if at all). Usually a woman must be talked into reporting a rape by one or more people.
Again, false reports of rape are extremely rare. Those who are trying to smear the girl by claiming the time frame of reporting is "fishy" need to consider the "fishiness" of the rumors they are intentionally spreading.
