What to Do if You Were Falsely Accused of a Sex Crime

If you were accused of a sex crime that you did not commit, you need to take action to protect yourself and your rights. In Nevada, a sex crime charge can be very serious, as it can result in prison time, sex offender registration, fines, and a social stigma around it. Being falsely accused of a sex crime can be very stressful for the defendant, as your life can quickly be taken away from you if proved guilty. Unfortunately, false accusations of sex crimes are very common, and it can be difficult for the defendant, even if innocent, to know how to deal with a serious crime charge. 

Types of Sex Crimes

In Nevada, there are various different types of sex crimes that a person can be accused of. Many sex crimes in Nevada carry time in Nevada State Prison, high fines, and sex offender registration in Nevada. The most serious sex crimes in Nevada include:

• Sexual assault and battery (rape)
• Child sexual abuse
• Prostitution and solicitation
• Sex trafficking
• Lewdness with a minor
• Child pornography

Reasons for Being Falsely Accused of a Sex Crime

Although it can be difficult to believe that someone would falsely accuse you of a sex crime, the sad reality is that it is very common. False accusations of sex crimes happen for a variety of different reasons.

• Revenge: The accuser may be attempting to get revenge on you because of a previous dispute or previous history.
• Accuser may be ashamed: Sometimes people regret having consented to sexual intercourse and later regret it, causing them to fabricate a sexual assault story.
• False identification: It is possible that the accuser truly believes that you are the perpetrator of the sexual assault, as this often happens because many sex crimes frequently occur when drugs or alcohol is involved or in a dark place.
• Accuser hiding an extramarital relationship: People caught having an affair have been known to make up a story involving sexual assault to try to hide the affair.
• Step-children want you out of house: Especially if you are in a relationship where your spouse has previous children that are not yours, the children fail to recognize how serious sex crimes are and they simply want you out of the house. 

Defenses for a Falsely Accused Sex Crime

People who are falsely accused of a sex crime sometimes believe that the situation will clear itself up or they could discuss the situation with the accuser hoping to clear up the situation. However, many times this is not the case, and there are better ways to go about it. First, it is important that you contact your defense lawyer as soon as you can in order to begin the process of defending yourself and beating the charges. Your defense may include arguments such as:

• Consent: If you were falsely accused, it is important that you prove that the accuser is lying about not consenting to sexual intercourse through cross-examination.
• Insufficient evidence: In order for someone to be proven guilty of a crime, there must be proof beyond a reasonable doubt that a crime occurred and you were the one who committed that crime. Many false accusations contain very little evidence proving that a crime even happened, and more of just stating that it happened. 

A false accusation is very serious, and can be very devastating to the alleged perpetrator. Sexual assault, and other sex crimes, are very serious and can quickly ruin your life as you will be a registered sex offender in Nevada. Being a registered sex offender carries many social stigmas, as your freedom and job may be quickly taken away. If you or a loved one has been falsely accused of a sex crime, it is important that you reach out to a professional legal team. At The Defenders, our attorneys have had years of experience dealing with serious crime cases, including sex crimes, and know the legal system better than anyone else. If you are in trouble, reach out to us to ensure an aggressive defense to prove your innocence and beat the false accusation charge.