Have You Been Falsely Accused of Sexual Abuse?

Note: This blog post concerns false allegations of sexual abuse and is in no way intended to diminish the importance of sexual abuse. Sexual abuse is real and happens. If you are an abuser, this entry is not for you.

False allegations of sexual abuse have become more common in contested divorce and child custody cases. Many times, these allegations turn out to be false for any number of reasons: (1) coaching by a parent; (2) confusion by the child as to actual events, especially very young children who have a hard time distinguishing timelines and communicating about events that have happened in the past; (3) outright lying by the parent; (4) outright lying by the child (usually at the direction of the parent or because they have ulterior motives of their own); and (5) too many other reasons to list in one blog post.

Understandably, these false allegations can be permanently damaging to the accused parents, their reputations, and their careers – not to mention their relationship with their children. It’s not uncommon to see the media (television, print, and online) feature mugshots and sensational headlines when someone is charged, but it is extremely rare to see any coverage whatsoever when the charges are dismissed or unfounded.

To make it worse, the investigation process often becomes more of a “presumed guilty until proven innocent” method as opposed to the other way around, especially when various agencies such as the Department of Social Services and other law enforcement agencies get involved, as they often have their own agendas and methods of “protecting the child” at all costs.

The best and most effective way to fight false allegations is to relentlessly pursue the truth.  Our firm is committed to helping those that have been falsely accused of this most heinous allegation, and we have years of experience helping those falsely accused prevail in court. We have worked in concert with criminal attorneys and other professionals to prove these cases and restore parenting rights to those who have been wrongly held from their children. If you have been falsely accused of sexual or physical abuse, give us a call. We can help.

Ben Stevens is a Fellow in the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and the International Academy of Family Lawyers, and he is a Board-Certified Family Trial Advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. For over twenty-five years, he has represented parents across South Carolina in complex child custody cases. If you or someone you know is facing these or other family law issues, contact our office at (864) 598-9172 or SCFamilyLaw@offitkurman.com to schedule a consultation.