The Double Injury: When False Allegations Harm Everyone
In recent days, a high-profile case has reignited debate about false allegations of sexual assault and rape. Though rare, such cases — when proven to be untrue — can have devastating effects on innocent men, their families, and wider public confidence in justice.
A video was circulated of a popular influencer outlining the allegations and boasting that her alleged perpetrator was getting a “taste of his own medicine”. There has since been an interview where the same influencer outlined that she had been a victim of Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence. Repeatedly.
This is not an excuse to make false allegations.
The damage doesn’t stop there. False allegations also harm genuine survivors, making them more afraid to come forward and feeding harmful myths that sexual violence is “often made up.”
At Serene Futures, we believe that social justice conversations must hold both truths at once: compassion for survivors and fairness for those falsely accused.
We cannot afford to trivialise either harm.
Understanding the Rarity and Complexity of False Allegations
The public often overestimates how common false accusations are — partly due to sensational media coverage. But the data paints a very different picture.
Internationally, rigorous studies suggest that only 2–8 per cent of sexual assault reports are false or baseless (Lisak et al., 2010; National Sexual Violence Resource Centre, 2018).
These figures include a range of definitions — from proven fabrication to cases dropped for lack of evidence — but all show that false reporting is uncommon.
Yet when it does occur, the fallout is immense: loss of livelihood, social ostracism, financial ruin, and lifelong stigma.
For men wrongfully accused, the presumption of guilt can feel inescapable, especially in the age of social media and instant judgement.
What Do the UK Statistics Really Say?
In the UK, this issue remains both under-researched and politically sensitive. Still, available data from the Home Office, Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and independent reviews provide valuable insight.
According to the Home Office’s End-to-End Rape Review (2021), only up to about three per cent of rape allegations are believed to be false — consistent with international averages (Home Office, 2021). Likewise, researchers at The Open University estimate the figure at around four per cent (The Open University, 2023).
Meanwhile, the CPS reviewed a 17-month period in which 5,651 prosecutions for rape were brought — compared with just 35 prosecutions for making false rape allegations (CPS, 2022).
This means that fewer than one in a hundred rape-related prosecutions concerned false reporting.
In 2023 alone, 67,938 rape offences were recorded by police in England and Wales, but only 3,521 resulted in charges — roughly five per cent of reported cases (Victims’ Commissioner, 2023). These figures demonstrate the gulf between reporting and justice: false claims are rare, but failed prosecutions are tragically common.
False allegations, though statistically uncommon, can have life-shattering effects. The wrongful conviction of Andrew Malkinson, imprisoned for 17 years before being exonerated by DNA evidence in 2023, highlights how devastating miscarriages of justice can be (BBC News, 2023).
Such cases fuel distrust — among the public, among survivors, and even among professionals — creating a culture of fear on all sides.
The Chilling Effect on Real Survivors
When false allegations make headlines, genuine survivors often feel the shockwaves. They fear disbelief, backlash or blame — and may decide it is safer to stay silent.
Research shows that exposure to stories of false accusations increases victim-blaming attitudes, particularly among men (Cromer & Freyd, 2007). This “chilling effect” is one of the most damaging outcomes: fewer victims report, investigations collapse, and perpetrators remain unchallenged.
Therefore, the harm spreads twice — first to the innocent falsely accused, and then to the countless survivors who internalise the message that they, too, might not be believed.
Striking a Balanced Approach
Addressing this sensitive issue requires integrity, empathy and nuance. Key steps include:
1. Recognising both harms
Acknowledging that false allegations can devastate innocent lives and that sexual violence is vastly under-reported.
2. Ensuring due process
Investigations must protect complainants while safeguarding against wrongful accusations.
3. Responsible media reporting
Avoiding sensationalism and emphasising verified facts prevents fuelling myths.
4. Support for both sides
Providing trauma-informed care for survivors and reputational or mental-health support for the wrongfully accused.
5. Public education
Dispelling myths about the frequency of false claims encourages empathy and reduces polarisation.
Justice, after all, must serve truth — not popularity, pressure or presumption.
A Reflective Call
False sexual assault allegations are statistically rare, but their impact is profound. They destroy reputations, fracture communities and erode faith in the justice system. Yet allowing such cases to dominate the public narrative also harms real victims, silencing those who most need to be heard.
At Serene Futures, we call for a future-focused approach — one where truth and empathy coexist, where survivors are supported to report safely, and where the innocent are protected from injustice.
Because true justice demands nothing less.
References
BBC News. (2023) Andrew Malkinson: Man cleared of rape after 17 years in prison. [online] Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-66319280
Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). (2022) Key facts about how the CPS prosecutes allegations of rape. [online] Available at: https://www.cps.gov.uk/publication/key-facts-about-how-CPS-prosecutes-allegations-rape
Home Office. (2021) End-to-End Rape Review Report on Findings and Actions. [online] Available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/60ed551c8fa8f50c6ef84fbc/end-to-end-rape-review-report-with-correction-slip.pdf
Lisak, D., Gardinier, L., Nicksa, S. & Cote, A. M. (2010) ‘False Allegations of Sexual Assault: An Analysis of Ten Years of Reported Cases.’ Violence Against Women, 16 (12), 1318–1334.
National Sexual Violence Resource Centre (NSVRC). (2018) False Reports: Moving Beyond the Issue to Successfully Investigate and Prosecute Non-Stranger Sexual Assault. [online] Available at: https://www.nsvrc.org/publications/articles/false-reports-moving-beyond-issue-successfully-investigate-and-prosecute-non-s
The Open University. (2023) False Accusations of Sexual Violence – Myths and Realities. [online] Available at: https://research.open.ac.uk/news/false-accusations-sexual-violence
Victims’ Commissioner for England and Wales. (2023) The Distressing Truth is That If You Are Raped in Britain Today, Your Chances of Seeing Justice Are Slim. [online] Available at: https://victimscommissioner.org.uk/news/the-distressing-truth-is-that-if-you-are-raped-in-britain-today-your-chances-of-seeing-justice-are-slim/
Cromer, L. D. & Freyd, J. J. (2007) ‘What Influences Belief and Disbelief of Child Sexual Abuse Accounts?’ Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, 16 (2), 1–19.
