Everyone Deserves a Fair Trial

Professor Diane Rasmussen spoke with Dr Stuart Waiton, a senior lecturer in sociology and criminology at Abertay University, about the recent investigation into — and subsequent vindication of — his decision to organise a classroom lecture by women representing Justice for Innocent Men in Scotland (JIMS). JIMS is “dedicated to supporting men who have been falsely accused of sexual offence crimes” and focuses on “the lack of fair trials in these cases”.

Although these women simply want to see justice applied fairly to their husbands, sons, and fathers who they believe have been wrongfully imprisoned, Dr Waiton received around 300 complaints for hosting their talk, and multiple mainstream media sources criticised him throughout the investigation.

Dr Waiton has written substantial academic research in this area, including his 2023 article ‘What do we know about “rape myth” research and the claim that there is “overwhelming evidence” that juries are prejudiced in rape trials?’, published in The International Journal of Evidence & Proof. He emphasises that this does not mean all women lie about rape accusations, but that the reality of falsely accused men must also be acknowledged. He believes that an overhaul of the justice system is needed in order to ensure everyone receives a fair trial.

One recent example of a wrongfully accused man is Andrew Malkinson, who spent 17 years imprisoned for a wrongful rape conviction. The BBC called it “one of the worst miscarriages of justice this century” in April 2026 when the correct man was finally convicted.

As the UK Government notes, many rape complainants withdraw allegations between reporting an incident and prosecution. Additionally, of the low percentage of rape cases that proceed to trial, only around half result in convictions.

Not everyone will agree with Dr Waiton’s position, but he has a prominent voice in the debate surrounding the prosecution of rape cases. Establishing the truth in such cases can be extremely difficult, particularly when there may be little evidence beyond the accounts of the complainant and the accused.