Sexual abuse can and does occur. It behooves all of us to educate our children and ourselves to fight this heinous crime.

False allegations of sexual abuse also can and do occur. These cause unspeakable pain and expense to the accused and trivialize those genuine occurrences of sexual abuse.

If you have been falsely accused of sexual abuse, do not talk to anyone, sign anything, or do anything until you have spoken with competent legal counsel, preferably an attorney who understands the process and flow of a supported decision, District Attorney referral, criminal charges, and the effects the criminal charges may have in criminal, probate, and juvenile courts and fair hearings.

Even when criminal charges are dismissed, your name will remain on the Department of Social Services' Central Registry as a perpetrator of abuse. This could harm your chances of employment in certain occupations, or becoming a foster parent in the future, or of having a normal relationship with your children.

Case: Allegations were made that two men sexually abused a teenaged relative. DSS conducted only the most cursory of investigations, never speaking to the accused men and never viewing the area in which the alleged incident took place. Had the 51B investigator actually investigated the matter, she would have learned that the teenaged boy had lied to the police, that the male relatives were never caretakers of the child, and that the physical layout of the apartment in which the incident allegedly took place did not support the child's version of events.