Legal Options When Facing False Sex Crimes Accusations

 Posted on May 24, 2024 in Sex crimes

Sometimes, people falsely accuse others of committing crimes in an attempt to make them suffer. However, that is not a great way to seek revenge on anyone because false accusations are a serious offense. If someone gets caught misleading the authorities, they can face severe consequences. It is unfortunately not uncommon for people to falsely accuse others of sex crimes. This is unconscionable because a wrongly accused innocent person could face life-changing and damning consequences due to a lie. The good news is, if you are innocent and can prove it, your name will be cleared, and your accuser will be held accountable. If this happens to you, one of the first things you should do is speak with an aggressive Utah sex crimes defense attorney who can build a strong defense and make sure you do not suffer unnecessarily because of someone else’s irresponsible false accusations.

Why Would Anyone Make a False Accusation of a Sex Crime?

The state of Utah takes accusations of sex crimes very seriously. Accused parties are, of course, considered innocent until proven guilty, but even a baseless accusation without any legal proceedings or evidence to determine its accuracy can ang over someone’s head and affect their life as if they were already convicted.

Sex crime accusations are interesting because they sometimes depend on claimed feelings about something that happened - which can be difficult to prove - more than on what happened - which can generally be proven objectively. In other words, the question might not be whether or not sexual conduct happened, which is an objective fact. Sometimes, it is more focused on how the two people involved felt about it happening.

Further complicating matters, even if both people agreed that they were feeling positive about the sexual conduct as it began, one can claim that she changed her mind at some point while it was happening. Then, whatever the two people were engaged in doing, with each of their consent - at least initially - is considered a crime if one person decided later that she no longer consented to it.

This subjective nature is part of why vindictive people might consider making false accusations about this particular type of crime.

Negative Consequences of False Accusations

When it comes to sex crimes, false accusations can be severely damaging in a few ways:

• For the accused: People who are accused are often treated as if there is no doubt that they are guilty. It can affect them at work, at home, and in their community.
• For the accuser: If it comes out that their accusations were false, they can face criminal charges. They could also get fired from their job and end up with a bad reputation that might stick with them for years.
• For real victims: Every time someone comes forward with a false accusation, it makes society more suspicious of any accusation. This all makes it that much harder for real victims of these crimes to be taken seriously and get justice.

Schedule a Free Consultation with a Davis County, UT Criminal Defense Lawyer

Being accused of sex crimes can have serious consequences for you almost immediately. Try to stay calm and speak with a seasoned Salt Lake City, UT criminal defense attorney as soon as possible. At Collins Rupp, P.C., we believe in our clients’ right to fair and strong representation regardless of the charges. Call us at 385-777-2753 to schedule a free consultation.