Abstract
Taking the incidence of false child sexual abuse allegations more seriously
Highlights
When children’s allegations of abuse were discounted out of hand, they were victimised by their abusers but by a society that neither believed nor protected them
Disbelief in CSA was compounded by myths: that children lie about being sexually abused; they fantasise about being sexually abused; all child sexual abuse cases have to be supported by medical evidence; children are abused by strangers; they report CSA immediately; and they scream during the abuse.[4]
These myths have consistently been challenged as lacking empirical backing and, there is an ongoing shift in how society and the justice system view CSA allegations
Summary
When children’s allegations of abuse were discounted out of hand, they were victimised by their abusers but by a society that neither believed nor protected them. CSA receives significantly heightened social and legal awareness This awareness has brought with it a zealous attempt by criminal justice systems (CJSs) to hold offenders to account. This shift in attitude is a welcome development, but sometimes gives rise to a dogmatic belief in all CSA allegations – with limited effort on the part of concerned professionals to meaningfully substantiate these allegations. This article underscores the role of mental health professionals (MHPs) and meaningful cross-examination in striking this balance It underscores the need for an appropriate forum in which new evidence is discovered with the effect of proving the innocence of wrongly convicted persons
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