Child abuse is one of the greatest crimes and getting accused of it is definitely grave. If you are falsely accused of child abuse, you need to consider it seriously and deal with it in a careful way. Follow the dos and don’ts in the following article to get out of the allegation safely.
Child abuse is a very sensitive issue and it can amount to a serious legal punishment to the person found guilty. Though it is illegal to file a false child abuse case, it happens very often in every part of the world. Let me point a common example in which several factors contribute to make the accusation more concrete like, if it is a divorce case, the allegation is made by the mother in order to get the child’s custody.
She either accuses the father of physical abuse or sexual ill-treatment. The child also gives false statements about it. Whether the child’s accusation is deliberate, coached, or a mistake, it is enough to ruin the lives of all the three; the father, the child and the mother. There are various types of child abuse namely, physical abuse, emotional abuse and sexual abuse.
Falsely Charged of Child Abuse – What Not to Do?
I suppose, ‘what to do’ when falsely accused of child abuse is much easier than ‘what not to do’ because we often tend to make mistakes out of sheer terror. So let us understand what should be strictly avoided in such a situation.
- Do not ever accept the allegation. Keep refusing it till the end, regardless of what the situation comes forth.
- If you discover the accuser, never ever confront with him/her or make a call to them. It will be considered as an attempt to bribe or harm the accuser.
- Do not allow any legal proceedings to be carried out against you without a warrant.
- Do not try to give any extra information other than your name and address, as it will always work against you. You try to tell them what you did, what was your intention and it is turned very tactfully into your confession.
- Don’t ever discuss your case with anyone, not even the closest friend because you never know what is in their mind.
- Don’t take the support of drugs or alcohol whatsoever.
- Don’t hide anything from your lawyer, as a smallest bit of information can be crucial to save you or trap you.
Falsely Charged of Child Abuse – What to Do?
Now, as we are done with the don’ts, let us find out what can you do to save yourself from a terrifying accusation of child abuse. Trust me, taking a proper way in these legal issues can make a huge difference to save your future.
- Find out the person behind it, whether it’s your spouse, a family member or any outsider.
- Look for a good and experienced lawyer. Let him/her speak for you instead of you answering any questions.
- Be your own adviser, read books, scan through Internet for information and get to know everything about such cases.
- Check the child for marks and bruises in front of someone you trust. A child pediatrician can be helpful. If there are bruises, find out from where did the child get it.
- Check if he/she fell off from somewhere or any such other accident took place. Maintain a diary, keep note of your visit to the pediatrician. In case of sexual abuse, demand scientific testing of yourself and the child, which will disprove the accusation.
- Prove your character. Get a character certificate from persons in higher position.
- Give all the details that you have noted down at the time of the doctor’s visit and ask the lawyer to defend you against the allegations. Try to remember every moment related to the scene and share it with your lawyer.
- Keep yourself active physically as well as socially because it will keep you away from depression.
- Know your constitutional rights. Keep yourself updated with the latest information about the laws related to false accusation of child abuse.
- Do assign a private investigator. Some lawyers do have their in-house investigators, but, if your lawyer does not have one, you should ask for one.
- Pay the lawyer and the investigator properly. If there occur any grudges between you and them, it might lead to the failure of your case.
Do not ever take any legal matter casually as it can come up with life-threatening consequences. Focus on the above-listed guidelines, stay calm, yet alert and do not lose hopes at any cost, and everything will be in your favor.
