False accusation: Difference between revisions
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Revision as of 20:09, 10 July 2011
Types
When there is insufficient supporting evidence to determine whether an accusation is true or false, it is described as "unsubstantiated" or "unfounded". Accusations that are determined to be false based on corroborating evidence can be divided into three categories:[1]
- An allegation that is completely false in that the events that were alleged did not occur;
- An allegation that describes events that did occur, but were perpetrated by an individual who is not accused, and in which the accused person is innocent.
- An allegation that is partially true and partially false, in that it mixes descriptions of events that actually happened with other events that did not occur.
A false allegation can occur as the result of intentional lying on the part of the accuser;[2] or unintentionally, due to a confabulation, either arising spontaneously due to mental illness [2] or resulting from deliberate or accidental suggestive questioning, or faulty interviewing techniques.[3] Researchers Poole and Lindsay suggested in 1997 applying separate labels to the two concepts, proposing the term "false allegations" be used specifically when the accuser is aware they are lying, and "false suspicions" (weasel word phrase; dissimulation) for the wider range of false accusations in which suggestive questioning may have been involved.[4]
Rape
The statistics on false accusations of rape vary widely, from 2% (a figure that has frequently been cited) to Eugene Kanin's (1994) figure of 41%, which derived from a case study of a police agency in a metropolitan city in the Midwest. John Bancroft states that a search of the literature on false rape reports reveals that Kanin's figure of 41% false rape reports is regarded as unusually high. FBI statistics for the annual rate of false reporting of forcible assault across the country have been a consistent 8%.[5] A study from the UK found that of the approximately 14,500 cases of rape reported in 2005/2006 9% were classified as false allegations.[6]
Child abuse
A false allegation of child sexual abuse is an accusation that a person committed one or more acts of child sexual abuse when in reality there was no perpetration of abuse by the accused person as alleged. Such accusations can be brought by the victim, or by another person on the alleged victim's behalf. Studies of child abuse allegations suggest that the overall rate of false accusation is under 10%, as approximated based on multiple studies.[1][7][8][9] Of the allegations determined to be false, only a small portion originated with the child, the studies showed; most false allegations originated with an adult bringing the accusations on behalf of a child, and of those, a large majority occurred in the context of divorce and child-custody battles.[1][10]
Workplace bullying
Research by the Workplace Bullying Institute, suggests that "falsely accused someone of 'errors' not actually made" is the most common of all bullying tactics experienced, in 71 percent of cases.[11]
See also
References
- ^ a b c Ney, T (1995). True and False Allegations of Child Sexual Abuse: Assessment and Case Management. Psychology Press. pp. 23–33. ISBN 0876307586.
- ^ a b Mikkelsen EJ, Gutheil TG, Emens M (1992). "False sexual-abuse allegations by children and adolescents: contextual factors and clinical subtypes". Am J Psychother. 46 (4): 556–70. PMID 1443285.
{{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Maggie Bruck; Ceci, Stephen J (1995). Jeopardy in the Courtroom. Amer Psychological Assn. ISBN 1-55798-282-1.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Irving B. Weiner (2003). Handbook of Psychology. John Wiley and Sons. pp. 438. ISBN 0471176699.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ Sexual development in childhood By John Bancroft
- ^ Cybulska B (2007). "Sexual assault: key issues". J R Soc Med. 100 (7): 321–4. doi:10.1258/jrsm.100.7.321. PMID 17606752.
{{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help) - ^ Hobbs, CJ (1999). Child Abuse and Neglect: A Clinician's Handbook. Elsevier Health Sciences. pp. 197. ISBN 0443058962.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ Schetky, DH (1988). Child Sexual Abuse: A Handbook for Health Care and Legal Professionals. Psychology Press. pp. 105. ISBN 0876304951.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ Bolen, RM (2001). Child Sexual Abuse: Its Scope and Our Failure. Springer. pp. 109. ISBN 0306465760.
- ^ Robin, M (1991). Assessing Child Maltreatment Reports: The Problem of False Allegations. Haworth Press. pp. 21–24. ISBN 0866569316.
- ^ Workplace Bullying Institute
Further reading
- Attorneys' Remedies against False Accusations of Unethical Practices; Epstein, Herbert
- False Accusations Alan Jacobson - 2001
- False Accusations: Guilty Until Proven Innocent Nik Greene - 2011