PRESS RELEASE
Contact: Mike Buchanan
Telephone: +44 7967 026163
Email: info@endtodv.org
Outcry: False Allegations Have Become a Global Threat to All
September 5, 2023 – Last Tuesday, two women in Goa, India were arrested for a rape blackmail racket. The women would extort money from businessmen by threatening to falsely accuse them of rape (1).
The same day, media accounts reported on Renee Skoglund who called the Miami, Florida police to claim, “I was raped.” But surveillance cameras revealed her claim was a hoax (2).
In Australia, Bradley Lyons was falsely accused of sexually molesting young girls. In June, the man was attacked by vigilantes, brutally murdered, and buried in a shallow grave (3).
Earlier this year, Eleanor Williams of England claimed she was brutally assaulted and raped by three men. But an investigation proven her injuries to be self-inflicted (4).
False allegations of abuse have become a global threat. A recent international survey found millions of persons report ever being falsely accused of abuse (5):
- India: 19%
- Australia: 10%
- United States: 10%
- Canada: 8%
- Argentina: 7%
- United Kingdom: 4%
- Poland: 4%
- Spain: 4%
September 9 is International Falsely Accused Day and events are planned in 13 countries around the globe: Argentina, Australia, Bermuda, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Ireland, Israel, Mexico, Netherlands, Poland, and Spain (6).
In Argentina, rallies are planned across 13 provinces and in 19 cities. The Women’s Front of Argentina has mobilized a group of women focused on defending both falsely accused men and women (7). In May, a bill was introduced in the Argentina Senate to penalize false accusers (8).
More information on false allegations is available online (9). The Domestic Abuse and Violence International Alliance urges law enforcement, prosecutors, and judges to take false allegations seriously and punish false accusers severely.
The Domestic Abuse and Violence International Alliance – DAVIA — consists of 108 member organizations from 34 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/
Citations:
- https://www.canindia.com/goa-police-arrest-2-women-over-fake-rape-case-extortion-racket-26/#:~:text=Goa%20Police%20have%20arrested%20two,a%20false%20complaint%20of%20rape.
- https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12455315/South-Dakota-woman-30-admits-inventing-rape-report-cops-caught-buying-rope-Walmart-claimed-tied-wanted-free-STD-test-cheating-husband.html
- https://metro.co.uk/2023/06/26/final-moments-of-dad-tortured-and-killed-over-false-paedo-claims-19013155/
- https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11857499/Asian-grooming-gang-fantasist-jailed-eight-half-years.html
- https://endtodv.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/8-Country-False-Allegation-Survey-8-3.15.2023.xlsx
- https://www.saveservices.org/2023/09/uk-falsely-accused-protest-gains-momentum-for-international-falsely-accused-day-2023-2/
- https://www.saveservices.org/2023/09/ayudar-crecer-foundation-calls-on-citizens-and-victims-of-false-accusations-to-raise-their-voice-on-international-falsely-accused-day/
- https://realpolitik.com.ar/nota/52816/violencia-de-genero-desde-el-senado-impulsan-ley-para-frenar-escraches-y-falsas-denuncias/
- https://endtodv.org/coalitions/davia/false-allegations/