Statutory Rape Victim Charged With Making False Statement

A 12 year old Tennessee girl was charged with falsely claiming she had been raped; in fact the sexual encounter with several football players was consenual.  Becasue she was below the age of consent, the boys have been charged with a criminal offense.  I suppose technically the false statement was material because it would affect the nature of the charge, but given that the age of consent is meant to represent the dividing line between responsibility and irresponsibility, it seems quite harsh. [Jack Chin]