ORLANDO, Fla. — The legitimate safety concern for women in Orange County has police even more outraged about a series of false rape reports in Orlando recently.
DOCUMENT: Teen's Arrest Affidavit AT THE SCENE: Police Search After Claims
Late Tuesday morning, Orlando police talked about false reports and the damage they can do to real rape victims. Police want people to know that women who make these false claims will be prosecuted.
Orlando police officers just arrested 18-year-old Samria Renford and 20-year-old Luisa Martinez for filing a false report with police. Both women claimed they were raped and then later admitted they made up the story.
Now, a third arrest warrant has been issued for a woman who also claimed she was raped.
Detectives say this is a serious issue and they plan to file charges and ask for restitution if someone lies.
"It's the dollars. Each officer is paid by the hour. Then, if you have anywhere from 20 to 50 hours of a case, it can be pretty expensive," Orlando Police Sgt. Art Eld said.
From 2007 to 2010, the State Attorney's Office says law enforcement agencies filed 241 false reporting cases and 109 of those cases were prosecuted.
Christina Barone is on the board of directors for the Victim Service Center and is a survivor of a rape. She says most rape victims struggle internally before they decide to come forward. She hopes this won't discourage other victims form coming forward.
"You already are fighting whether you are going to tell someone or not, so false reporting and having this in the media where people are lying about something is hurtful to survivors," Barone said.
The women who admitted they lied about the rapes gave various reasons as to why they fabricated the story. Renford told authorities her boyfriend cheated on her and she wanted him to take her back. Martinez's case report shows she was trying to cover up a car accident.
Officers charged Renford with a first-degree misdemeanor for filing a false report. She may have to pay a fine and serve up to one year in jail if she is convicted.
Previous Stories: June 22, 2010: Teen Who Made Up Rape Story Facing Charges June 21, 2010: Police: 18-Year-Old Recants Rape Claim