The #MeToo movement has brought a heightened awareness of sexual assault and harassment against women. But when women lie about rape, it makes it harder for actual victims to seek justice.
Mary Zolkowski, who is white, not only made up a story about being raped in a Delta College parking lot southwest of Bay City, Mich., she said a Black man did it, which perpetuates a racial stereotype.
The 21-year-old was sentenced to 45 days in jail on Monday for her crime with no credit for any time served. Bay County Circuit Judge Joseph K. Sheeran ordered that Zolkowski be on probation for two years after she serves her term, according to MLive.
In March, she pleaded guilty to one count of false report of a felony, the only charge she faced.
“I called Delta College and falsely reported the rape on their campus,” Zolkowski told Sheeran on March 27. “My mother made the initial call and I took the phone and continued to report.”
The charge is punishable by up to four years’ imprisonment and a $2,000 fine, according to WNEM. So Zolkowski was only sentenced to a fraction of the maximum punishment.
Sheeran also deferred an additional 220 days in jail; therefore, Zolkowski will only have to serve them if she violates probation, during which time she is to be tested for drugs and alcohol and participate in substance abuse counseling. Her defense attorney claimed in March that Zolkowski is bipolar and suffers from PTSD.
On Feb. 22, 2017, Zolkowski reported the fake crime to police. She said that day while walking to her car a man grabbed her from behind.
Zolkwoski said, “He grabbed her face and throat and proceeded to rape her, not wearing a condom as he did so,” MLive reports.
She didn’t name her supposed attacker, but described him as a Black man, stating she only saw his hands.
Authorities became suspicious when she began to change her story. Zolkwoski claimed someone she knew raped her earlier that day. Police questioned the man, who admitted to having sex with her, but said it was consensual. The man showed police texts from Zolkowski where she claimed that she was raped at a Walmart.
Around the time she made the false rape claims, Zolkowski dropped out of classes and said her academic troubles were a result of the sexual assault.
