Accused of domestic assault: what do I do?

Being accused of any crime is a big deal, but being accused of domestic violence comes with a very specific list of problems. While it is possible that you have been falsely accused of domestic violence, often you will be judged through the eyes of your peers. This sort of accusation has the ability to destroy your reputation both personally and professionally. This is why it is so important to take decisive and intelligent action if accused of domestic assault. According to FindLaw, the most important thing to do is not to escalate the situation.

While your initial response may be shock and anger, it is wise to not give into these impulses. In fact, the best thing to do is to get in touch with your own family and friends, as it is possible that your accuser may try to turn your support group against you. It is important that those close to you hear this story from your own mouth, as opposed to through gossip or from your accuser.

Another good tip is to put your social media on lockdown and change all of your passwords. This is particularly important if your accuser has access to these accounts. It is not unheard of for accusers to send threatening messages to themselves from the accounts of those whom they are accusing, in order to create a “paper trail” of threatening messages. Putting your accounts on private and changing the passwords is the first step in preventing this from occurring.