What You Should Do When You Are Falsely Accused Of Rape
A false rape accusation is a serious charge that could cost your job, reputation, and professional license. Even though 6% of rape victims who come forward report that the authorities do not believe them, law enforcement often does their best to bring predators to justice. Common reasons for a false rape accusation include guilt over a consensual sexual encounter, revenge, or mis-identification of the attacker. Research also shows that at least 8-10% of rape claims are unfounded, meaning that a significant percentage of these unfounded claims could be innocent. If you find yourself falsely accused of rape, do not despair. You will need to protect your rights! Here is what you ought to do when you are falsely accused of rape.
Start saving money
The bitter truth is that rape cases are pretty expensive. First and foremost, you will need to pay the attorney you will hire to represent you in court. A polygraph test and other necessary physiological tests are also not cheap. If you are unwilling to set aside thousands of dollars to build a strong case, you will most likely be put away for a long time. Therefore, it would be wise to start saving money early so you can pay for the tests and get the help you need. It is also best that you steer clear of cheap lawyers who promise fast results at a low fee.
Don’t minimalize the amount of trouble you are in
A huge mistake would be to be in denial after receiving news about your false rape accusation. Failure to understand the legal ramifications of your current situation could prevent you from acting promptly and getting yourself out of the mud. For instance, you could ignore the accusation for too long and later find out that the defendant has filed criminal charges against you. Minimizing your situation could also cost you more money than you would have paid had you acted promptly.
Create a timeline of events
An excellent way to prove your innocence would be to create a timeline that shows your exact whereabouts before, during, and after the alleged sexual offense. Go back in time and try to remember in as much detail as possible everything that happened that day. This timeline will help build a solid case to clear your name of the false rape accusation.
Seek legal help from a top attorney
One of the first things you should do after being accused of rape is to seek legal help. You will need to hire a top sex crime attorney who specializes in rape cases. Your attorney should be able to provide you with an aggressive defense due to the public nature of sex-related crimes. A good lawyer should be honest about your current situation and refrain from giving false promises. Since any information you share is protected by client-attorney privilege, ensure that you are transparent with your lawyer.
Watch what you say
A false rape accusation could get you worked up and cause you to harbor anger, frustration and resentment. However, it is easy to say things you don’t mean in the heat of the moment. Remember that the defendant monitors your every move and is waiting to use what you say or do against you. Therefore, it would be wise to check yourself and keep your emotions at bay to avoid harming your case. We also advise you to keep off social media as an ill-considered commend could be misinterpreted to make you look bad.
Expand your knowledge base
Even though you plan to hire an experienced attorney to represent you, it would not be wise to be fully dependent on them. The jury will not be lenient on you because you were ignorant of your circumstances. It would be wise to take time to educate yourself about the laws surrounding rape, the penalties you might face, and the common defenses you could use to build your case. Understanding why your attorney tells you to do something is essential instead of blindly agreeing is essential.
Gather witnesses
Your witnesses can vouch for you and confirm your whereabouts when the alleged incident occurred. If you are telling the truth, then you have no problem matching your timeline to the people you were with on the day the events happened. Ensure you include the witnesses’ names, addresses, and phone numbers so the authorities can quickly contact them.
Wrapping up
Individuals who accuse others falsely of rape make it harder for rape victims to come forward and allow the actual predators to get away with their heinous crimes. The accused also have to deal with the residual effects of their false charges and struggle to integrate themselves back into society. The best way to fight any false claims is to know your rights and seek legal help. You can also sue back for defamation and libel. We hope this article has helped you or your loved one fight false accusations of rape.