Last Updated on March 17, 2024 by Ali Hamza
New Jersey’s legal system treats allegations of sexual assault very seriously. The concept of “innocent until proven guilty” is widely held to be a cornerstone of American society. The problem is that this does not appear to matter if you have been falsely accused of sexual assault.
It is terrifying to face criminal charges of any kind. This is a tricky situation because of how rapidly the court of public opinion reacts to allegations of sexual assault. You will be added to a sex offender registry, which will have repercussions on employment, housing, and more.
You have a better chance of escaping this situation if you take precautions immediately and contact a New Jersey criminal lawyer.
Even if you are innocent, that will not get you off the hook.
It is tempting to disregard the accusations when you know you are innocent. You might reassure yourself that everything will be okay in the end. This, sadly, is not even close to being true. False accusers rarely admit their own mistakes.
Worse, authorities and courts do not take allegations of sexual assault lightly. This is excellent news for the victims, but it will make it harder for you to clean up your name. Finding a perpetrator and putting their name on the sex offender registry is intended to give victims some measure of closure.
When compared to other crimes, such as murder, the consequences of sexual assault in New Jersey are incredibly harsh.
You should avoid making any kind of contact with your accuser.
The person bringing the accusations against you is probably someone you know. Whether your relationship with this person is casual or long-term, you know how to contact them.
However, you should never, ever contact them. Contacting the other party in any way, whether through social media, the phone, visiting their home, or otherwise, will only hurt your cause.
Law enforcement officials will be examining your case
Once your accuser makes a police report, your actions will be magnified. The local police and prosecutor’s office will be keeping a close eye on you, waiting for you to make a mistake or do something questionable in public.
Do not take any unnecessary risks or break any rules.
Even something as seemingly innocuous as your weekend volunteer activity with kids in your community could have the wrong connotation. If you are in a potentially embarrassing situation, try to do it alongside another responsible adult.
Compile any evidence that may be useful.
Evidence of your innocence can be found everywhere, including your text messages, social media profiles, employment records, and more. It is not always a walk in the park to show that the accusations are unfounded.