A key piece in a victim’s reluctance to report a rape is distrust — her account is not believed. That’s what happened to me when I was assaulted. For someone to accuse me of lying or making up such a vicious act was a different kind of deep hurt and betrayal. My heart sank when I read that the police thought the wrapped pantyhose around Ms. Palomba’s wrists was a “stage prop” and that she should be arrested for reporting a fake crime.

Even though I moved on with my life, I never felt completely safe after the assault, largely because the evil creature was never apprehended, coupled with the fact that there is a statute of limitations on this heinous crime. To this day, I loathe the darkness and always leave lights on in every room in my house, even when my husband is home. That fear never goes away. What’s the real harm in eliminating this statute? At the very least, it could offer a sense of relief and hope that possibly one day the horrible person who stole my sense of security would be caught and held accountable for the irrevocable damage he inflicted. I think if the majority of individuals who would consider and vote on removing this statute of limitations were women, it would pass and would have passed years ago. Marge Keller, Midwest

There is a reason there are statutes of limitations. Memories fade over time. We must balance the desire to prosecute the guilty with the need to protect the innocent from false convictions. DNA evidence often can stand the test of time; human recollections very frequently cannot.

It is understandable, but nonetheless worrisome, how much this debate has been influenced by strong emotion. We should prosecute rape and sexual assault vigorously, but we cannot do so by sacrificing due process and the rights of the accused. Many, probably most, accusations are true, but not all. Alex, Indiana