A sexual assault charge can have far-reaching consequences – reputations ruined, relationships severed, job loss, negative social stigma, and a criminal record. If convicted, sexual offenders may serve jail time, have their name added to the National Sex Offender Registry, and be unable to travel internationally.
If you’ve been wrongfully charged with a sexual assault, you need the right legal representation that can help you navigate this overwhelming and scary time.
What to do if you’ve been wrongfully accused of sexual assault
Sexual offences refer to a number of charges, including:
- Sexual interference
- Sexual assault
- Sexual harassment
- Sex with a minor
- Child sex abuse
- Groping
- Voyeurism
- Rape
- Sodomy
- Sexual exploitation
- Prostitution
- Pornography
- Obscenity
If you feel you’ve been falsely accused of a sexual offence, it’s important to resist divulging information to the police until you can seek legal counsel. Even if you call the police to defend your name or tell your side of the story, these statements can be misconstrued and cause you problems in the long run. Anything you say can and will be used against you in Court.
Instead, stay calm and take these steps:
- Call us immediately and we will walk you through the process, including what to do and what to expect.
- End communication with the person who is accusing you. Don’t block them, but don’t talk to them – even to apologize. Don’t reply to texts, emails, phone calls, voicemails, or any other form of communication.
- Save any available evidence, including text messages, emails, photos, videos, and phone recordings. Be sure to create a backup for these files and save them in a secure place.
How Roulston Urquhart Criminal Defence can help
Sexual assault charges are considered to be one of the worst types of offences with movements such as #metoo and #timesup further influencing how the Court approaches these allegations. At Roulston Urquhart Criminal Defence, our lawyers have a finger on the pulse of the latest developments surrounding sexual assault laws and will approach your case with compassion and courage.
A sexual assault charge is a serious matter and our lawyers are thorough in handling these cases we:
- Contact the police on your behalf to find out if you are actually being charged.
- Find out if the police have enough evidence against you.
- Decide whether you should meet with the police and if you do, prepare the meeting for you.
- Come up with a plan and a strategy if you do need to meet with the police.
- Assess your individual facts to strategize a defence.
- Cross-examine the Complainant to reveal their true motive of exaggerating or completely fabricating the story.
We leave no stone unturned to prove your innocence or lessen your charge. We will work tirelessly to clear your name.
