I’ve Been Accused of Sexual Assault: Now What?
- Posted on: Jul 14 2023
Although false sexual assault allegations are rare, they do occur, and they require immediate action on the part of the accused. The consequences of a sexual assault conviction are severe, so it is imperative to take the proper steps following an accusation. In this article, we explain what to do if you’ve been accused of sexual assault.
Reasons for False Sexual Assault Allegations
There are several reasons that a person may falsely accuse someone of a sex crime, including:
- The accuser is seeking revenge.
- The accuser regrets a consensual sexual encounter.
- The accuser mistakenly identified the wrong person.
- The accuser is attempting to hide an extramarital affair.
Dealing with a Sexual Assault Allegation
Regardless of the reasons for the accusation, you must act quickly if you’ve been accused of sexual assault. Specifically, if you are facing a sexual assault accusation, you should do the following:
Be proactive: Although it may be tempting to ignore a sexual assault accusation, this is not advisable. A sexual assault conviction can have lifelong consequences. Therefore, as soon as you learn of the accusation, you must take action.
Avoid contacting the alleged victim: Following a sexual assault accusation, it’s natural to want to contact the alleged victim to “work things out.” However, it is imperative that you cease all communication with the accuser after you learn of the accusation. As soon as you are accused, anything you say to the accuser can be used against you. In fact, you should avoid discussing the matter with anyone except your criminal defense attorney.
Write down your recollection of the incident: Your recollection of the incident will be important for your defense. Therefore, you should write down everything you can remember about the incident, including what you were wearing, whether you and the victim had been drinking, the lighting in the area, and if any drugs were involved. In addition, you should create a list of any witnesses who can corroborate your story. However, don’t share any of this information with the police. Instead, give it to your attorney for review.
Gather evidence: Next, you should gather evidence, including video or photographic evidence. So, if you are aware of any video cameras in the area of the alleged incident, you should let your attorney know. In addition, if any photos were taken the night of the incident, you should provide them to your attorney.
Hire a Virginia criminal defense lawyer: Finally, if you’ve been accused of sexual assault in Virginia, you should contact a criminal defense attorney as soon as possible. At Walker Jones, PC, our criminal defense lawyers are here to mount an aggressive defense on your behalf. When you come to us for assistance with your sexual assault case, we will do everything we can to obtain a successful result. Please contact us today to arrange a free consultation with one of our knowledgeable criminal defense attorneys.
Posted in: Sexual Assault
