Statistics for accusations of false rape vary greatly, from 2% to as high as over 50%, but what truly matters is the fact that accusations of false rape do occur, and they can be just as damaging to the accused as an actual rape is to a victim, and the rising publicity of false rape cases can discourage serious justice against actual rape.
The case of Brian Banks, former California high school football star accused of rape and incarcerated for years, is an example of how damaging false rape can be to a person's life. To date, the false accuser Wanetta Gibson has not received justice for the damage caused to Mr. Banks; the state refuses to press charges, either.
Continuing to ignore the existence of false rape accusations and not punishing the accusers will have a dire effect on victims of real rape as well. As false rape accusations rise without the legal deterrent of conviction, actual rape cases will be ignored to waste time on investigating the fabricated reports, and the expensive rape kits will be misdirected. Meanwhile, rape victims will be taken less and less seriously.

Rape is a felony in the United States, while the arguably equally damaging false rape accusations usually receive no more than a slap on the wrist. To protect the innocent and the victims, accusing people falsely of rape must be deterred with a harsher sentence.