Throw in an ambitious prosecutor, incompetent public defender and you got it. They will make up the testimony if they need it.
who is 'they"? witnesses will make up testimony? absolutely. sometimes they lie, sometimes they say what they think people want them to say (iow, they may not even realize they are lying, but even memory is fallible when enough suggestion is imposed - see: Memento. this is also why Children are such difficult and problematic witnesses. their grasp on reality and memory is much weaker than adults, and suggestive questioning can PUT ideas/memories into their head that thye THING are real. plus, they testify to please, even if it means lying, in many cases). the system is "the best in the world" (our criminal system. the civil system here sux), but it still sucks. because: people lie, coincidences happen, nobody has perfect knowledge, etc. people who do crimes get away with it all the time. and sometimes (much rarer but it happens) the innocent are convicted like i said, this recent case going to the SCOTUS is very important. the fact that in many states, in many cases, testimony can be introduced that was made in 911 calls and in other ex parte environments when the victim is NOT willing to testify/be cross-examined is blatantly unconstitutional AND injurious to the search for truth.
Public opinion about the gender role differences? I don't come from that planet, wherever that phrase originated. The male imperative is to spread one's seed, as long as he can pay for it and obey the law, kind of like an NBA player. You're imposing your morality on this 14-year old kid, who did nothing wrong. Show me a 14-year old who is not 99% penis. He does not need to learn about this victim shit yet.