Falsely accused of rape? What to do
Sex crimes are handled very seriously and the consequences can be extreme for the offenders. Sexual assault, rape, child pornography, sexual abuse of minors, indecent exposure, and sodomy of minors are some of the crimes that fall into this category. Rape is the most common of all and several men have found themselves in situations where they have to deal with rape cases.
The fact is that in some cases women are actually victims of rape, but there are some cases that are actually unfounded and false. There are dishonest women who would go out of their way to get revenge on an ex, while some report rapes to cover up the embarrassing moments they got involved in. Sometimes memories tricked by alcohol can lead to such misunderstandings and as an innocent man you will definitely have a need to clear your name. Being falsely accused of rape can land you in jail before the truth is known, and therefore action needs to be taken as soon as the allegations are made. You really don’t want to lose your job or pay fines and probably spend time in prison for a crime you didn’t commit.
1. Keep your emotions in check – If there is something you want to do when you have been accused of rape, it is to confront the accuser. The confrontation, of course, will be very angry and you never know what you might actually end up doing. For this reason, it is important that you try to stay calm, no matter how upsetting the accusations are. You will only be in a position to think clearly about what to do next when you are in control.
2. Stay away from the accuser – Making contact with the accuser can lead to more accusations, so do everything possible to stay away from them. Even if you think you can convince them to drop the charges, it’s something that could lead to more problems. If you must meet or communicate with your accuser, be sure to be in the company of a third party or to do so through text messages or emails that can be given in their original form rather than phone calls whose content can be made up.
3. Get a criminal defense attorney – Rape accusations are very serious and hiring an attorney is one of the wisest steps you can take to get out of your predicament. The attorney will be in a position to help with the allegations you face and guide you through the process. They will also be able to gather witnesses and go over the details for a better court appearance.
4. Think about the reasons – If you’ve been falsely accused of rape, chances are there are motives behind it all. Together with your attorney, you can work to discover what these reasons are. A former partner may try to taint your image with the accusations it may be out of jealousy, while a consensual partner may end up accusing you because there is a drug or alcohol implication that makes them confused about what happened.