There’s more to this question than people seem to think.
1. The penalty should not be so severe that a false accuser won’t admit to the false accusation.
2. The penalty should not be so severe that an actual victim hesitates to come forward out of fear of the penalty if the system decides the accusation is false, even though it isn’t.
3. How is an accusation determined to be false? If the accuser admits it that’s one thing, if it has to be proven, that’s something else.
4. What if the victim believes the accusation but is mistaken about the identity of the accused?
5. If the accused is determined to be not guilty, is the accuser automatically assumed to be guilty of false accusation?
6. I don’t doubt the existence of follow on questions I haven’t thought of.
thanks for a rare dose of sanity on the subject