Graph percentage of False Accusations of Abuse

This week’s graph shows results from a recent survey that asked nationally representative samples of men and women in Argentina, Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States if they have ever been falsely accused of abuse.

Key Points

• In each of the four countries surveyed, a greater percentage of men (6-18%) than women (2-7%) stated that they have been falsely accused of abuse at some point in their lives.

• Australia had the highest prevalence of false accusations of abuse, with 18% of men and 9% of women saying that they have been falsely accused of abuse.

• The United Kingdom had the lowest prevalence of false accusations of abuse, with 6% of men and 2% of women saying that they had been falsely accused of abuse.

Source: Domestic Abuse and Violence International Alliance.

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Bonus Commentary

False accusations of abuse might entail false accusations of domestic violence, sexual abuse, child abuse, or another form of abuse. These accusations often cause stress, reputational damage, loss of job and earnings, and loss of contact with one’s children for the individual who has been falsely accused. Remarkably, individuals who make false accusations of abuse often experience little or no legal repercussions for their unjust and damaging behaviour. Thus, to increase awareness of the prevalence and consequences of false accusations and the need for more proper adjudication of false accusations in the legal system, activists now observe September 9 as International Falsely Accused Day

When the prevalence of false accusations is considered in the context of the total adult populations of these four countries, the number of falsely accused persons is estimated to be 3.4 million in Argentina, 3.5 million in Australia, 2.1 million in the United Kingdom, and 20.6 million in the United States