False Allegations Watch (FAW): Seeking justice from a position of truth
Our public discourse is increasingly polarised, especially on alleged sexual offences. Yet justice demands an objective search for truth that protects both victims of sexual violence and victims of false allegations.
Over time, key safeguards were dismantled — including judicial warnings about the dangers of convicting on uncorroborated testimony. Post‑Savile reforms then nudged practice toward believing complainants at the point of complaint and discouraging corroboration checks. The result: a higher risk of wrongful convictions and an erosion of the presumption of innocence.
The justice system’s approach to alleged sexual offences has undergone a dangerous paradigm shift.
The directive to “believe the victim” at the point of allegation and the removal of key legal safeguards have unbalanced the scales of justice.
The result? A system that risks treating the accused as “guilty until proven innocent.
We must recognize that the harms suffered by genuine victims of sexual assault and the harms suffered by genuine victims of false allegations are not mutually exclusive. Pursuing truth is the only way to achieve justice for both.
False Allegations Watch (FAW) exists to document this problem, case by case, guided by evidence. If a featured case is later shown not to be innocent, FAW ceases involvement and removes it. Justice must be built on truth — for everyone.
— Adapted from Dr Michael Naughton, University of Bristol Law School Blog (31 Oct 2022). Original: https://legalresearch.blogs.bris.ac.uk/2022/10/project-false-allegations-watch-faw/
