BOISE, Idaho — When rape allegations surfaced against a Republican state lawmaker in deep-red Idaho, some rushed to support him — in part by publicly releasing the name of his accuser.
Another lawmaker, some far-right blogs and others publicly released the name, with some including her photograph and details about her life. The move has victim advocates warning that identifying accusers without their consent makes it less likely that other women will be willing to file a report.
The allegations against Rep. Aaron von Ehlinger of Lewiston were made public when a legislative ethics committee released a copy of the complaint that was redacted to remove the name. He has denied the allegations.
