The basis for such charges is already well established under slander and libel law. False allegations of any nature that are damaging to the character of a person or other entity which meet the minimum requirements for a slander and/or libel suit are prosecutable, and that includes cases concerning sexual assault.

Absolutely. The consequences of rape are quite substantial.

The punishment for lying about rape should be whatever the penalty is for kidnapping. After all, they are taking someone against their will and locking them up.

But that's just me ;)

Isn't there a jail time for false (felony) accusations ?

Yes, there should most definitely be a charge for false accusations of rape. People's lives are upturned by accusations of a rape. Their community shuns them, their employer shuns them and many times dismisses them. Their own family many times turns against them. The motto of innocent until proven guilty is a legal standard but most definitely not a social standard. People are judged by their communities and the public even before a verdict is issued. Now, if the person if convicted of rape and it is proven that they truly committed the rape, then they deserve to be excommunicated from their community for the heinous and atrocious act which they have communicated. However, if the person has not committed the act and is innocent but yet they are subjected to all the emotional and sometimes physical trauma of being accused of rape, then they deserve retribution for they too have been wronged. It is the job of our justice system to provide justice and right injustices. So the person who accused falsely should have charges incurred upon them, either financial, criminal or both at the discerning of the jury and judge. My opinion is that any money spent because of the false allegation of rape should be paid for by the accuser as well. Any money spent by the accused on an investigation of the false allegation or on an attorney should be incurred upon the accuser. If there is a court trial for the case, the accuser should also reimburse the accused for loss of pay from missing work and also a hefty fee for emotional damage as determined by the judge. Depending on the level of media coverage of the false rape accusations, there should be libel and slander charges against the false accuser as well.

Of course! Not only is it injurious to the extreme for actual victims, it ruins the life of an innocent man. It is not much different than murdering someone by lying on them saying that they tried, or did, rape you. True justice would require that you do the same time that he would have received.

As long as it has been thoroughly proven that all accusations were false, yes. Rape is a very serious crime and even being accused without conviction can turn someone's life upside down. There needs to be reprocussions for people who make a joke of it or falsely accuse someone out of spite. However, I can see certain negative consequenses of enforcing this, particularly if there was a rape that cannot be proved. The system could end up unknowingly sending an innocent or a victim to jail because of a law enforcing this.

Yes if and only if the accuser knew for a fact that the rape never actually happened.

Telling a lie of this nature should be a felony. It equates to perjury in court.