When a family member accuses you of sexual abuse

If you are a parent or a stepparent, you know that raising a child can be hard work. If you and your co-parent share custody of the child, it can make things even more difficult. Kids need to go from house to house, and it can be challenging to build up any kind of consistent relationship due to the constant change.

In some circumstances, it is not uncommon for allegations of sexual abuse to arise against a parent or stepparent, especially in contested custody battles. Your child may be influenced by his or her other parent to make these allegations. If this happens, it can make things much more complicated and emotionally taxing.

It is important for you to understand that even if these allegations are 100 percent false, they could still bring about consequences that impact many different aspects of your life. Your friends and co-workers may distrust you. Your name could show up on news reports. Your reputation could be very much at risk, and you need to be sure that you are ready to fight back.

Some people when facing a sex crimes charge do one of two things: They either plead guilty in the hopes of making the matter go away as quickly as possible, or they do nothing. They trust that the person raising the allegations will understand that what they are doing is wrong, and take back what they said when things start moving forward.

Know that both approaches here are terrible mistakes. Pleading guilty may make the case end, but it doesn’t stop the consequences that will follow you around for the rest of your life. Doing nothing is not a valid strategy either. Refusing to build a defense to allegations, even those that are false, can place you in a very serious situation.

False accusations of sexual abuse against parents can happen for many reasons. Defending false allegations of sexual abuse is a delicate matter. While you may be tempted to find the most aggressive lawyer possible what you need is someone who can help you explore all options.