False complaints about family conflicts: what motivates them and the consequences of leaving them on the victim

Although the importance of reporting child sexual abuse situations has been realized in recent years, we should not ignore the fact that false allegations have also spread and serious consequences have occurred for both children associated with the person reported with him.

Some common characteristics of false reports:

— Sexual abuse is revealed in the context of a separation or divorce where the parent complains and conflicts.

— The main motives are jealousy, maiming, resentment, the desire for revenge and economic retaliation. The complainant generally does not accept the destruction of the bond, and in many cases a third party is in disagreement.

— In most cases, the person reporting is a woman, but there is also a percentage of men who report their former and/or new partner.

— A significant proportion of complainants have personality disorders.

The complainant is more concerned with the punishment of the complainant than the welfare of his son.

The complaint is usually accompanied by a hearing report of the parties made in a private area that does not correspond to what was disclosed by the child in the Gesell Chamber or in the psychological examination carried out in court.

— As a result of the complaint, the eviction of the child is extended to the defendant's family (grandparents, uncles, cousins, etc.).

— At best, the child will tell you that he does not remember the facts from Cámara Gesell. Logically, it is because he did not live, but in other cases it is possible to reproduce stories inoculated by third parties, which must determine their reliability through the analysis of professionals trained in the psychology of testimony.

— In Gesell Chamber, when a story is produced, it is usually simple, automated, focused on the description of the case (alleged sexual abuse), is a single-parent element that does not have the necessary details for prosecution, adult vocabulary, sensory nimic records related to the reported situation, and does not impart guilt or stigma on the child.

— In this case, the child does not have symptoms related to child sexual abuse, or the symptoms resulting from it are not clinically consistent; they do not exhibit sexual behavior or physical indicators.There are no school difficulties or changes in common interaction patterns.

False reporting has serious consequences for both the reported person and the minor involved.

In addition to breaking the bond between two people, a person accused of false charges often presents economic consequences such as symptoms of depression and anxiety, job loss, social stigmatization, and eviction from family and friends.

In children, intense fears, great confusion, states of anxiety and depression, feelings of abandonment and guilt, rejection, helplessness, feelings of insecurity, feelings of anxiety, orphanage, difficulty expressing emotions, regressive, destructive behaviors, sleep disorders, eating disorders and school problems often occur in children. among others.

If the cessation of parent-filial piety contact with a false defendant is usually prolonged over time, the mental health and mental development of the minor, as well as the bond between the two, can be severely impaired. Even the phenomenon of “false memory” can occur. That is, the child can be sure that he has actually been abused.

It is important to emphasize that when a child cannot communicate with one of his parents, he suffers emotional deprivation and feels that he is abandoned in his illusion.In this way, mental integrity is fundamentally affected, especially if the child is under 10 years of age.

If a child is deprived of a secure initial bond and the love of one of the parents, he will grow up confused, anxious, and fearful. Because it depends only on their care, they tend to cling more to the parents who live together in search of safety. This bond of attachment will harm parents who do not have communication, the child will perceive it as negative attributes such as abandoned, bad, indifferent, etc. The image of the latter as a protective figure and a provider of affection will disappear. In most cases due to this I don't want to see you again reports.

False claims should not be taken lightly. They are a form of emotional abuse. Because the child, in some cases, is used as a hostage in conflicting parental relationships, away from the father or mother, and is placed in the position of the object, leaving aside his needs, desires and interests, very often, does not measure the real harm and/or likelihood of the child.

The author holds a degree in Psychology (U.A.J.F. Kennedy), Psychological Assessment Specialist (UBA), and M.N.16781.

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