Thanks for your response, Sumant.

My point is that journalists should stop using “accuser” language in rape cases and instead use the same terminology for rape as for other crimes:

• Defendant
• Victim, or alleged victim prior to conviction
• Witness

No one calls witnesses, victims, or alleged victims in robbery cases “the accuser.”

No one suspects that robbery, trespassing, or murder victims will “take advantage” if they are referred to in the same way as victims, alleged victims, and witnesses in other crimes. To suspect that rape victims and witnesses are somehow different from victims and witnesses in other crimes is illogical.

“Accuser” language is the product of the very old Western rape culture, and the modern version of “prosecutrix .” Outdated at best.