So are you saying that victims must win a court case to have their story believed but perpetrators should be taken at their word?

If someone wants to clear their name, go to court and sue for slander. If it's two people's word against each other, I'll believe the victim every time since there's such a high cost of coming forward and slander laws exist.

EDIT Since I'm now throttled...

I'm saying that coming forward either means:

1. Something really happened to you.

2. You're breaking the law and can be punished.

High stakes, no? Which is one of the many reasons false accusations are exceedingly rare if not non-existent.

I will always believe the victim unless the perpetrator wins a libel case. It's the legal mechanism for fighting back.