If your partner accuses you of domestic violence, you might assume everyone will believe them. Statistics show that one in four women and one in nine men in the country will suffer domestic violence during their lifetime.
Yet, if you look at those figures again, three out of four women and eight out of nine men will not be victims of domestic violence during their lifetime. That does not mean they will not make accusations.
There are several reasons people make a false allegation of domestic violence
While a large proportion of accusations are valid, many are not. False accusations are widespread in custody battles or divorce battles. Your partner may feel that accusing you will persuade a judge to award them custody of your children or a greater share of assets in a divorce.
Spite is another reason for making a false accusation. If your partner is upset at something you did, they may look for ways to punish you. Jealousy or desperation can also provoke people to do strange things. If your partner fears you might leave them, they may try to tarnish your reputation to ensure that no one else will have you.
Remember that domestic violence can refer to a wide range of things, far more than you may realize. They include financial and psychological abuse. So you could face accusations for preventing your partner from spending all your money or from things you said during a heated argument.
If your partner accuses you of domestic violence, it is crucial to defend your reputation and freedom. The authorities can move fast to put a restraining order on you, take away your guns, force you to leave your home, or stop you from seeing your children. The consequences of a conviction could be even worse.
