Why do you think they aren't being honest? Or ghosted instead of just saying it?

Some would be just like that, but many have learnt to avoid confrontation because is dangerous. I mean, maybe 1 in 8 guys become aggressive. The estimation is based on my own experience, but hearing other women, sounds like they have experience also some aggression and is common enough to condition answer.

Anyway, since ghosting and similar things is something that I've experience too and common for men and women, I'll give you a "shortcut" that works for me.

If I send a message and is not answered, I leave it like that until is answered or I have a complete different reason to speak to that person. Two messages unanswered (or that take more than 1 week to be answered) means that the person is not interested. And that is a bad choice. Even if they answered back latter is best to end it because is not going to be a satisfactory relationship for me.

The saying that "no answer is an answer" is true. Their actions speak for themselves. It might not be intentional, not meant to hurt, but the result is the same. So you should take care of yourself and be the one who cut ties right there. For your own good. It would be people who would text you back, pay attention to you and treat you well, don't waste your time with people who won't give you that courtesy.

No, I don't think all women are perfect. But I think that part of making things work is improving communication. Part of that is how we react to things.

Look at it this way. If when a woman says she is not interested, you believe it and treat her as "not interested" regardless if she is saying the truth or not. When she is saying the truth, you are rewarding her by being respectful. If she is lying, you are denying her what she wants (play mind games with you) and teaching her that that is not the way things work. If you refuse to listen, then you are punishing the woman who is honest and enabling the one who plays mind games.

You think that I'm against you, but no, I'm trying to fix a communication problem. And in the long term, if we reward people who speak clearly, we'll be better. Take people at their word, if they change their mind or didn't say the truth, is on them to say it, not on you to read their minds or play guess games.

You might want to consider that there is logic in what we are saying.