It's something no one wants to think about, even in the most contested and ugly of Georgia child custody battles the idea that one partner might falsely accuse another of child abuse in order to obtain child custody. Fortunately, false accusations of child abuse are rather rare: under 10 percent of accusations of child abuse are false. However, of that 10 percent, the majority do not originate with the child, but instead with an adult bringing accusations on behalf of the child. And of those, most occur in child-custody or divorce battles. Unfortunately, especially for very contested cases of divorce full of bitterness and mutual acrimony, false accusations of child abuse are a weapon some parents are willing to use to keep their children away from their other parent.
Most courts do not give custody to a parent accused of abuse. It is believed that it is far worse to leave a child with an abuser who has committed family violence assault and battery in Georgia than it is to deprive a parent of a child, as tragic as either circumstance is. Other negative consequences of false accusations of child abuse occur. The public will tend to assume that the accused is guilty. Even if acquitted, the accused may face many serious consequences: being harassed by those who believe him or her to be guilty, losing his or her job, being condemned by friends and family, even vandalism of property.
Psychologically, the heinous nature of the crime may leave a parent with deep psychological trauma. It may seem obvious that you could never do something like that to your child, whom you love, and you may feel betrayed that anyone would even think you could commit such a horrific deed. It is encouraged that parents who have suffered a false accusation of child abuse seek out a therapist or a support group for parents who have been falsely accused of abuse to work through these feelings in a safe and supportive setting.
It is very difficult to disprove a false accusation of child abuse wielded in a Georgia divorce case. However, a trained Atlanta child custody lawyer may be able to help. An Atlanta child custody lawyer may be able to show that the child does not agree with the abuse allegations or that the child was accidentally coached by faulty interviewing techniques and suggestive questioning, or coercively led by unscrupulous questioners. In addition, your Atlanta child custody lawyer may be able to help you provide an alibi, find supporters to testify to your loving parenthood or otherwise show that the abuse could not possibly have occurred. With luck and a skilled lawyer, it is possible to debunk false accusations of child abuse and once again be allowed to be a caring parent to the child you love.