False Allegations of Sexual Assault

A lie is a type of deception in the form of an untruthful statement made or offered with the intention to deceive others. Lying is not by itself a crime unless it occurs under circumstances where lies are prohibited by law. Among these circumstances are false allegations and false statements to the police regarding criminal activity or during an official investigation, including false reports of sexual assault. This chapter educates readers regarding the nature and scope of false allegations made regarding sexual assault. It is the responsibility of law enforcement investigators to identify false reports of sexual assault properly in order to prevent the arrest and conviction of the innocent for a crime that did not even occur. This requires the investigation and consideration of victim history, the victim interview, the physical evidence, and any obvious red flags present.