Being accused of domestic violence while you’re in college is serious business. Did you know that around six out of every 1,000 students suffer from sexual assault on college campuses? On top of that, college-aged women, those between the ages of 16 and 24 have been found to have the highest rate of domestic violence per capita. With over 21% of college students admitting that they’ve experienced dating violence with a current partner, it’s important to talk to about this issue. It’s a problem, and it may always be.
Although abuse is serious and accusations should always be investigated, there is a darker underside to some domestic violence cases. In some cases, the accusations are false. In some instances, someone might be ashamed of something they did and then claim they were raped. They might say that their partner hurt them to get back at a partner for breaking up with them.
For the person who is accused, that kind of behavior can be threatening and ruin their future prospects, especially if charges are filed. So, what should you do if you’re on the receiving end of a false claim?
The first thing to do is to make sure you work with an attorney to detail what actually happened. You can tell your attorney the truth, and they will discuss your defensive options with you. If a false claim was made against you, or if violence did happen as a result of trying to defend yourself, you need to make that clear in your defense. Your attorney will work closely with you to find a solution to this problem, so your future is protected as much as possible.