Posted on April 20, 2022 in Sex Crimes
It is relatively easy for someone to falsely accuse you of a sexual assault. Unfortunately, these types of charges and accusations can be difficult to disprove. Oftentimes these cases are classic, “he said, she said,” situations where there are no witnesses of the events that took place and no easy way to determine exactly what happened.
It is incredibly important to defend and protect yourself against sexual assault allegations because of how negatively these kinds of crimes can impact your life. Sex crimes have an immediate negative impact from the stigma of the accusation as well as the arrest itself. The potential impact of a sexual assault conviction can last a lifetime.
There are many reasons why you could be facing charges of sexual assault. Some common scenarios and situations that could lead to a false allegation of sexual assault include:
In your everyday life, it is important to be aware of these potential motives and do what you can to memorialize conversations or incidents from which an accusation might arise. Try not to be alone with someone you do not trust.
If someone ever seems to be laying the groundwork for this type of allegation, do all you can to remove yourself from the situation as soon as possible and consult a defense attorney if need be. While you can never fully prepare or protect yourself from someone falsely accusing you of a crime, with a good criminal defense lawyer’s help, you can develop a strategy to defend yourself against false charges.
Sexual assault charges in Phoenix are outlined in the Arizona Criminal Code Section 13-1406. In most cases, sexual assault is a class two felony in Arizona. The penalties can be elevated based on certain aggravating factors as well.
Possibly. Even if you did nothing wrong and the charges against you are false, you must take steps to defend yourself. It is a mistake to underestimate the potential consequences of your situation. The word of one individual not only can form the basis of probable cause to arrest someone for these types of charges but could also form the basis of a conviction.
You should be proactive. Hire a Phoenix defense attorney immediately. Look for an attorney that has substantial experience handling cases involving sex crimes.
You should avoid talking to people about your case. This includes your family, friends, or anyone other than your criminal lawyer – they could potentially be called as witnesses against you. They also could offer unsolicited advice, which might actually hurt your case.
You might be tempted to contact the “victim” to try to understand what happened, what their motives are, or to simply express your anger towards being wrongfully accused. Don’t. There usually are pretrial release conditions that prohibit that sort of contact.
It is important, particularly if you are out on bond/bail, that you do all that you can to assist your defense attorney in the preparation of your case. You can prepare a timeline of the events and give them a history of your relationship with the alleged victim. You should write as much down while the events are fresh on your mind.
While it is understandably difficult to remain calm when you are facing severe penalties for a sexual assault conviction, the best thing you can do for yourself is to follow an experienced defense lawyer’s instructions in defending your case.
For more information, contact the sex crimes attorney Craig Orent. Give us a call at (480) 656-7301 or visit our law office at 11811 N Tatum Blvd UNIT 3031, Phoenix, AZ 85028. We offer a free case evaluation, so get the help you deserve today.
