Help! My Adult Child is Falsely Accusing Me of Having Sexually Abused Them

 Posted on June 07, 2022 in Criminal Defense

Raising children is never easy, but for some parents, the process is harder than others. We live in a time where the expectation of accountability for sexual crimes is the highest it has ever been, and while this is a good thing, it also opens the possibility that false accusations will be made and readily believed. A false and completely unexpected accusation that a parent committed childhood sexual abuse against their own child is every parent’s worst nightmare. These types of accusations are often as fantastical as they are offensive. If your adult child has made a post on social media, told their therapist, or confronted you with false accusations of sexual abuse you allegedly committed in the past, seek legal help right away. 

How Often Are Sexual Assault Complaints Falsified? 

While it is true that both men and women have been sexually assaulted and failed to obtain justice for their suffering, it is also true that people use allegations of sexual assault to obtain vengeance and control, or because of mental illness. It is difficult to obtain accurate estimates of false sexual abuse complaints, but estimates range from two to eight percent of all reported claims.  

Sometimes false accusations are intentional and other times alleged victims really believe the abuse happened. Certain types of leading questions by therapists and psychologists have been found to trigger false memories of sexual assault, causing a person to create “repressed” memories of sexual abuse where none really exist. 

What Should I Do If I Have Been Accused of Molesting My Child? 

Individuals in Texas have 30 years to press charges against alleged perpetrators of child sexual abuse before the statute of limitations runs out. Because such accusations often lead to an arrest or criminal investigation, it is important to take your child’s accusations seriously and hire an attorney with experience in child sex crimes defense. Whether an accusation is true or false may not come out until much later. 

In the meantime, avoid discussing the situation with anyone except your attorney. Even statements of denial could be wrongly interpreted. Your conversations with your lawyer are completely confidential and cannot be used against you in court and your lawyer can talk to people on your behalf so you can avoid unpleasant questioning. 

Gather any documents or records that may support your version of events. This is often difficult in sex crimes defense cases because it may be your word against your child’s. Do not try to talk to your child to get more details or try to convince them they are wrong. 

Meet with a Collin County Child Sex Abuse Defense Lawyer

If you have been accused of a serious crime against a child, you need help from the experienced team of Collin County child sex abuse defense attorneys at The Crowder Law Firm, P.C.. We are dedicated to vigorously protecting your constitutional rights and ensuring you have a fair trial. Contact us today at 214-544-0061 to schedule a free consultation and find out what we can do for you. We have a proven history of getting charges minimized or dropped entirely. Call us now. 

Sources: 

https://www.nsvrc.org/sites/default/files/Publications_NSVRC_Overview_False-Reporting.pdf

https://www.psychotherapynetworker.org/magazine/article/1068/the-shadow-of-a-doubt