There are a lot of questions surrounding last week’s false sexual assault allegation. We don’t yet know the frame of mind the accuser was in, we don’t know why she accused four black males of the assault, and we don’t know why she would put the entire campus on edge and in a state of fear and shock.

But we do know one thing – this woman needs to face the consequences of her appalling accusations. Thus far, authorities are unsure whether or not to file charges against her, whose name hasn’t been released.

After looking at the implications of what these accusations did to the atmosphere at the university, we think she needs to be charged with filing a false report and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Not only did she invoke terror and concern in the entire student body, she also singled out four black men, a cowardly claim that seems to suggest possible racial undertones.

Iowa State Department of Public Safety investigators, as well as anyone else who aided in the investigation, should be commended for their efforts. This was a sensitive case with an unfortunate turn of events; one that was surely very difficult for authorities to deal with.

This woman’s false claims not only cost the university money and personpower, but it also cast a shadow on future sexual assault claims. As difficult as it is already for women and men to come forward with claims of sexual assault, this incident may further cause a victim to remain silent for fear of public suspicions.

We certainly hope this does not happen. Iowa State and Story County has sexual assault outreach services to help victims feel comfortable with pursuing legal action.

Future victims of sexual assault should not allow this freak instance prevent them from coming forward. We also hope this woman, who by her actions appears to be emotionally unstable, can find some help to ensure she doesn’t do anything like this again. That being said, she also needs to face the music.

What she did was wrong on many levels. A lot of people were affected by these claims, including an entire community. There needs to be repercussions for these accusations.

editorialboard: Andrea Hauser, Tim Paluch, Michelle Kann, Zach Calef, Omar Tesdell