False Allegations Of Sexual Abuse Research Articles

Le refus de contact d’un enfant avec un parent dans un contexte de divorce conflictuel – Partie I. Recension des recherches cliniques et judiciaires

BackgroundThis article presents a review of literature concerning situations where a child or an adolescent refuses all contact with a parent in the course of a high conflict separation or divorce. Such situations, which happen frequently in child psychiatry, are the cause of numerous judicial litigations. MethodThe sixteen studies reviewed are those which have been conducted jointly by clinicians and courts since 1987, some of them initiated by the American, Canadian or French departments of Justice. ResultsThese studies show why the concept of “parental alienation syndrome” cannot be used since it results in important errors of assessment which put the children in danger both emotionally and physically. Considering its lack of scientific foundation, the inscription of the term has been denied both in DSM5 and ICD 11. False allegations of sexual abuse are very rare (between 0.8 and 6% of allegations in studies dealing with large series). Several research studies underline the existence of a statistical link between domestic violence prior to divorce and ill-treatments against children committed by the fathers in the exercise of their visiting and accommodation rights. Two longitudinal studies show that 81% of minors spontaneously reconnect with the “refused” parent. In the remaining 19%, most children have relevant reasons for not wanting to meet this parent. There can be situations of control including brainwashing from either mothers or fathers, but they only represent a minor part of the refusal situations. ConclusionIt is deemed necessary to define the clinical methodology allowing to assess the processes at work when a child refuses contact with a parent and to determine if the cause is a pathological control from the other parent on the child or any other reason. This is the subject of another article.

Assessing Police Classifications of Sexual Assault Reports: A Meta-Analysis of False Reporting Rates.

The objective of the study was to determine, through meta-analysis, the rate of confirmed false reports of sexual assault to police. The meta-analysis initially involved a search for relevant articles. The search identified seven studies where researchers or their trained helpers evaluated reported sexual assault cases to determine the rate of confirmed false reports. The meta-analysis calculated an overall rate and tested for possible moderators of effect size. The meta-analytic rate of false reports of sexual assault was .052 (95% CI .030, .089). The rates for the individual studies were heterogeneous, suggesting the possibility of moderators of rate. However, the four possible moderators examined-year of publication, whether the data set used had information in addition to police reports, whether the study was completed in the U.S. or elsewhere, and whether inter-rater reliabilities were reported-were all not significant. The meta-analysis of seven relevant studies shows that confirmed false allegations of sexual assault made to police occur at a significant rate. The total false reporting rate, including both confirmed and equivocal cases, would be greater than the 5 % rate found here.

Coaching, Touching, and False Allegations of Sexual Abuse in Canada

Whether in sports training or in physical education contexts, touching is an integral component of the coaches’ tasks. However, recent evidence suggests that touching has become a significant concern for coaches in Canada and elsewhere, maybe due to the increased sensitivity toward child protection discourses. In fact, it appears that some coaches are concerned that touching children while coaching can potentially lead to false allegations of abuse by young people in their care or by the young person’s parents. These apprehensions are pushing some coaches to protect themselves by adopting various strategies or by avoiding certain situations, like touching. Recent evidence suggests that fears of false allegations can represent an obstacle for the prevention of sexual abuse. Moreover, these fears can have a significant impact on the victims of these crimes. Throughout this article, we explore the question of touching in coaching and the fears of false allegations of sexual abuse sometimes associated. The authors focus on understanding the foundations of these fears and offer some answers to the difficult questions that arise from this situation from a Canadian perspective.

The Truth Behind the Lies: The Complex Motivations for False Allegations of Sexual Assault

The issue of false allegations is arguably the most controversial topic in the area of sexual violence. Portrayals of women who make false allegations are largely negative and leave little room for a comprehensive understanding of the complex motivations behind false complaints of sexual assault. The current study uses detailed qualitative data on 55 sexual assault cases that were reported to the Los Angeles Police Department in 2008 and that were subsequently unfounded. Our study focuses on identifying the factors that motivated complainants to file false allegations. Results reveal that motivations for false allegations fall into five overlapping categories: avoiding trouble/providing an alibi, anger or revenge, attention seeking, mental illness, and guilt/remorse. In addition, our findings more obviously suggest that motivations for filing false reports are varied and complex, often resulting from a need to alleviate social and personal distress. Given that we centered our study on motivations, this research is more comprehensive than prior examinations of motivations that have tackled numerous facets of false sexual assault reports.

False Accusations in an Investigative Context: Differences between Suggestible and Non‐suggestible Witnesses

False sexual abuse allegations have spurred research on suggestibility, on the assumption that leading questions may produce false accusations. Most researchers, however, have not measured the likelihood that those who respond to suggestive questioning will take the next step and make a formal (false) accusation. The present study incorporates both aspects of abuse investigations: suggestibility (i.e., responsiveness to questions in a leading interview) and false accusations (i.e., signing a formal complaint against an innocent suspect). Participants (N = 129) were observed in a laboratory session and then interviewed twice about their experiences by an interviewer who suggested that the laboratory assistant had behaved inappropriately. Although only 17% of the participants were suggestible, 39% agreed to sign the complaint. Suggestible participants were significantly more likely to make a false accusation than were non-suggestible participants. However, because of the low rate of suggestibility, most false accusations were made by non-suggestible participants. Implications for the legal system are discussed.

Pathways to False Allegations of Sexual Assault

Not all allegations of sexual assault are true. Unfortunately, there has been little work on understanding the prevalence of false allegations or pathways to these. This paper proposes 11 pathways to false allegations of sexual assault: (a) lying, (b) implied consent, (c) false memories, (d) intoxication, (e) antisocial personality disorder, (f) borderline personality disorder, (g) histrionic personality disorder, (h) delirium, (i) psychotic disorders, (j) dissociation, and (k) intellectual disability. These pathways originate in the psychological diatheses of the individual. Further research is needed into the frequency of these pathways, ways to accurately detect these, and whether other pathways exist.

Researching Allegations of Sexual Misconduct in Schools: The Need for a Narrative Approach

The Anglophone world is gripped by a moral panic focused on child abuse in general and fear of the paedophile in particular. Evidence suggests an alarming rise in the number of false allegations of sexual abuse being made against teachers and demonstrates that the fallout from being falsely accused is far-reaching and sometimes tragic. In the UK, master narratives which influence and shape child protection policies and procedures privilege the stories told by accusers and, in effect, silence the accused who are considered guilty until shown to be innocent (which is not in any way a straightforward matter). This paper reports research which focused on the narratives of male school teachers and of members of their families, their friends and colleagues, who have been accused of sexual misconduct with female students which they say they did not commit and of which they have eventually been cleared or the case has been dismissed (Sikes and Piper, 2010). The narratives of our informants evoked and made real the lived consequences of policies and showed the damage that could be done to individuals in a way that no statistics are ever likely to be able to do (see Richardson, 2000; Smith, Auto/Biography, 10(1), 131–121, 2002). We reflect on how our findings have influenced policy and their implications for initial and in-service teacher education.

False Allegations of Sexual Assault: An Analysis of Ten Years of Reported Cases

One of the most controversial disputes affecting the discourse related to violence against women is the dispute about the frequency of false allegations of sexual assault. In an effort to add clarity to the discourse, published research on false allegations is critiqued, and the results of a new study described. All cases (N = 136) of sexual assault reported to a major Northeastern university over a 10-year period are analyzed to determine the percentage of false allegations. Of the 136 cases of sexual assault reported over the 10-year period, 8 (5.9%) are coded as false allegations. These results, taken in the context of an examination of previous research, indicate that the prevalence of false allegations is between 2% and 10%.

Readers panel - Support for those wrongly accused

Do healthcare professionals need more legal protection against false allegations of sexual assault? We asked our readers panel

More Than One Victim: When People with Learning Disabilities Make False Allegations of Sexual Abuse

Three recent cases of false allegation of sexual abuse are described and compared. Neither the needs of alleged perpetrators nor the people with learning disabilities are adequately addressed by current practices. Key issues for service development are discussed.

Characteristics of True versus False Allegations of Sexual Offences

The goal of the study was to establish whether false allegations of sexual offences with an unknown perpetrator can be distinguished from accurate allegations. Case files of 27 true allegations of sexual offences with an unknown perpetrator were compared to those of 14 false allegations. The comparison was guided by a list of 43 criteria that are hypothesized to differentiate between true and false allegations of sexual assault. Analyses indicated the employed criteria differentiated true from false allegations to a certain extent. However, the discriminative strength of some criteria appeared to be stronger than that of others. Research is required to assess further the discriminative power of these criteria.

Manie et désinhibition sexuelle chez l'adolescente : intrications médicolégales et thérapeutiques

Hypersexuality is a frequent symptom in bipolar episode in teenagers. It can (1) favour at risk behaviours and put the adolescent in a dangerous situation, a rape being the first clinical manifestation of a manic episode; (2) induce sexual delusional ideas and/or false allegations of sexual abuse as psychotic features are frequent in this age range. In the present paper, we briefly report four recent cases seen a tour institution, and discuss the clinical, therapeutic and forensic implications of such situations.

Syndrome de Münchhausen par procuration et fausses allégations d’abus sexuels dans un contexte de séparation parentale conflictuelle : vers un nouveau concept ?

Munchausen syndrom by proxi is a rare type of child abuse whereby a mother creates a factitious illness on her child to later challenge the medical profession. The present article first describes the main characteristics of this syndrom as it is currently defined. Then a new Anglo-American trend is explained, which tends to extend the syndrom to certain types of false allegations of sexual abuse in divorce proceedings, thus introducing a variant which involves not only the medical sphere but also the social and judicial fields as well. After two case reports are exposed, this new concept is discussed.

Erroneous concerns about child sexual abuse

Aim: To assess the incidence and nature of concerns about sexual abuse, with particular reference to erroneous concerns of sexual abuse made by children. Methods: A review of case notes of all child sexual abuse reports to the Denver Department of Social Services over 12 months. Cases were put into four groups: substantiated, not sexual abuse, inconclusive and erroneous accounts by children. Results: 551 cases were reviewed. Forty-three percent were substantiated, 21% were inconclusive and 34% were not considered to be abuse cases. There were 14 (2.5%) erroneous concerns emanating from children. They comprised three cases of allegations made in collusion with a parent, three cases where an innocent event was misinterpreted as sexual abuse and eight cases (1.5%) of false allegations of sexual abuse. Conclusion: Erroneous concern of sexual abuse from children are uncommon. The four categories of concern in this study, in contrast to the simple classification of substantiated and unsubstantiated, provide a means of encouraging open minded assessments of the typical concerns which a child protection agency receives.

Les allégations d'abus sexuel chez l'enfant: entre le doute et la conviction absolue

Tout en évoquant le problème très actuel des fausses allégations d'abus sexuel, l'auteur propose une réflexion sur les difficultés que rencontrent les personnes amenées dans leur pratique à recueillir et à comprendre les révélations d'un enfant confronté à cette problématique. Entre le doute éclairé, la conviction profonde et les certitudes établies, en passant par la délicate question des faux positifs et des faux négatifs, la réflexion critique est de mise. Une meilleure connaissance de la manière dont l'enfant rapporte des faits de nature sexuelle, une approche plus fine de la problématique de l'abus sexuel, une meilleure analyse du contenu de la déclaration de la victime et une expertise pluridisciplinaire permettent de mieux étayer ces situations complexes et douloureuses. L'enfant (ou l'adolescent), de par son statut, est dans une relation de dépendance à l'adulte. Cet état de fait nous amène à différentes réflexions autour de la suggestibilité, du mensonge, de la fabulation et de la crédibilité chez l'enfant allégateur . Les conséquences d'une allégation incertaine dans un contexte de divorce sont évoquées. Les enfants qui suivent un long cheminement judiciaire suite à une fausse révélation d'abus sexuel en sortent rarement indemnes. Même si, dans certaines situations de conflits conjugaux, elle apparaît comme peu fondée, toute allégation d'abus sexuel à l'égard d'un enfant doit faire l'objet de la plus grande circonspection. La validation de ces allégations d'abus sexuel à l'égard des enfants exige donc de la part des professionnels des connaissances approfondies et une expérience éprouvée dans ce champ spécifique. While recalling the very current problem regarding false allegations of sexual abuse, the author also examines the difficulties encountered by those persons who, in the course of their professional life, have to collect and attempt to comprehend the information provided by a child confronted with this damaging situation. Given the various approaches, the elucidation of a doubt, absolute conviction and established fact, the awkward question of false positives and false negatives, a critical consideration of the situation is of utmost importance. Improved insight into the way that the child recounts facts of a sexual nature, a more subtle approach to the problem of sexual abuse, a better analysis of the content of the victim's declaration and a pluridisciplinary assessment can provide better support in these complicated and painful situations. By reason of his status, the child or adolescent is in a relationship of dependence toward the adult. This fact leads us to consider issues such as suggestibility, lying, story telling and credibility in the allegedly abused child. The consequences of an uncertain allegation made in the context of a divorce have been reported. It is rare that children who have been exposed to lengthy legal proceedings following a false accusation of sexual abuse remain unaffected by this exposure. Even if, in certain cases of conjugal conflict, the grounds for the allegation do not seem to be well founded, any allegation of sexual abuse regarding a child should be treated with the utmost circumspection. Validation of these allegations of sexual abuse regarding a child therefore demands a thorough knowledge of and practical experience in this particular field on the part of those professionally involved.

Repressed Memory and other Controversial Origins of Sexual Abuse Allegations: Beliefs among Psychologists and Clinical Social Workers

The purpose of this study was to assess beliefs about repressed memory and other controversial origins of sexual abuse allegations. This was examined by conducting a national survey of psychologists and clinical social workers. The results indicated that experimental psychologists and clinicians differ regarding belief in repressed memory, with clinicians expressing more confidence that such memories can and do exist. No differences were found between clinicians with different types of academic training. However, academic degree and level of research involvement were found to be related to views toward one or more of the following: (a) usefulness of anatomical dolls, (b) leading questions, or (c) the possibility of therapeutic techniques leading to false allegations of sexual abuse. Although the respondents' sex often accounted for a significant portion of the variance, removing this influence did not alter the overall pattern of the results. Possible explanations for these results are discussed.

The hostage child: sex abuse allegations in custody disputes

Foreword by Dwight Noble Acknowledgments Introduction Part One: True and False Allegations of Sexual Abuse 1. True and False Allegations: The Message from the Media 2. True and False Allegations: The Scientific Research Part Two 3. Hanke versus Hanke 4. In the Interest of Marissa, a Child 5. We Believe Jesse 6. 7. The Life Sentence of Sherry Moore Part Three: Explanations 8. The Denial of Incest 9. Anti-Mother Bias 10. The History of Children's Rights Part Four: Solutions 11. How the System Fails 12. How the Law Fails 13. CARCO Legislation: The Enabling Legislation References

Repeated false allegations of sexual abuse presenting to sheriffs: When is it munchausen by proxy?

Munchausen by proxy syndrome, wherein a caretaker (most often a mother) simulates or fabricates illness in a child in order to assume the sick role through another, has now been described involving a variety of psychiatric problems and false allegations of sexual abuse. Given that a proposed dynamic appears to be a need in a dependent and/or hostile relationship with powerful transferential people from the past, it was expected that professionals (school psychologists, social workers, lawyers) other than doctors would be involved. A case involving law enforcement agents as a primary “target” is described and its significance discussed.

Psychological trauma and its influence on genuine and false complaints of sexual assault.

Events that cause fear leave effects, both physical and psychological. In the last 20 years, it has been recognized that criminal assaults are also fearful events which, like war atrocities and civilian disasters, can have profound effects upon the psychological health of victims. In this paper, some of the research describing the psychological effects of crime will be reviewed, with particular emphasis on allegations of sexual assault. The impact of trauma on crime victims in relation to the prosecution process will be discussed, including the relevance of trauma to the issue of false allegations of sexual assault. The paper will conclude with some recommendations for research.

False sexual-abuse allegations by children and adolescents: contextual factors and clinical subtypes.

The authors review the empirical literature concerning the frequency of false allegations of sexual abuse as well as the case report literature that describes individual episodes of false allegations in detail. The authors then construct a clinical typology that is derived from the literature and their own clinical experience with similar cases. The specific subtypes of the typology are: (1) False allegation in the context of a custody dispute, (2) false allegations resulting from psychological disturbance on the part of the accuser, (3) false allegation as a conscious manipulation by the child or adolescent and, (4) false allegations based on iatrogenic factors. Clinical examples of each subtype are presented. The case material presented and reviewed indicates the importance of attending to the contextual factors surrounding the allegation and pursuing a detailed comprehensive evaluation that is as free of bias as possible.