False Allegations Have Become a Cancer Around the World

PRESS RELEASE

Contact: Henry Herrera

Telephone: +1-301-801-0608

False Allegations Have Become a Cancer Around the World

September 5, 2024 – John Marks and Amanda Zawieruszynski had sexual relations in his backyard swimming pool on November 9, 2023. (1)

Marks previously had installed a surveillance system that showed the unclothed woman entering into the pool. The woman “appeared to be enjoying herself … engaging in consensual sexual activity,” “with no signs of resistance or discomfort.”

Unaware of the existence of the surveillance system, Zawieruszynski later went to the local police and accused Marks of rape. When police came to Marks’ house to make the arrest, he informed them of the surveillance footage, and urged them to view it.

But the officers refused. Instead, they arrested Marks and charged him with aggravated sexual assault. As a result, he was jailed and fired from his employment.

Two weeks ago, Marks filed a lawsuit against the police officers, charging “Their conduct was driven by a desire to secure a conviction at any cost, rather than a commitment to uncovering the truth.” (2) The complaint also accused Zawieruszynski of false reporting and malicious prosecution. An award in the millions of dollars is expected.

The false accusation and wrongful arrest of John Marks reveals a deep-seated cancer around the world. An eight-country survey found millions of persons have been falsely accused of abuse (3):

India: 19%
Australia: 10%
United States: 10%
Canada: 8%
Argentina: 7%
United Kingdom: 4%
Poland: 4%
Spain: 4%

In response, International Falsely Accused Day will be observed on September 9. Groups around the globe will be holding commemorations to expose this rampant injustice (4). Following is a sampling of events:

Argentina: Rallies will be held in 10 cities around the country (5) in support of a bill that has been introduced in the Senate to penalize false accusers (6).
Australia: A conference on Restoring the Presumption of Innocence, held on August 31, noted that the “current high rates of false allegations are making it difficult for genuine victims to be heard.” (7)
England: The Falsely Accused Network UK will hold demonstrations in London and Liverpool, demanding that courts make evidence mandatory in all cases (8).
Spain: ANAVID (9) will release a multi-lingual video, inviting persons around the world to join the cause. Several weeks later on September 29, a demonstration will be held in Jaén highlighting how false allegations can harm victims and destroy the innocent.
United States: A rally featuring eight speakers will be held in Sacramento, California at the State Capitol Rose Garden (10).

Last year Carlee Russell reported she had been abducted, a claim that cost taxpayers millions of dollars as police launched an intensive search and rescue effort. Her claim later turned out to be a hoax (10). In response, Alabama lawmakers recently enacted a new law, HB 52, to stiffen penalties for false accusers (11).

The Domestic Abuse and Violence International Alliance urges lawmakers, judges, and law enforcement personnel to take false allegations seriously and punish false accusers severely (12).

The Domestic Abuse and Violence International Alliance – DAVIA — consists of 155 member organizations from 37 countries in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, Latin America, and North America. DAVIA seeks to ensure that domestic violence and abuse polices are science-based, family-affirming, and sex-inclusive. https://endtodv.org/coalitions/davia/

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