Did Your Student Accuse You of Sexual Assault? Do This

Teachers find their careers, reputation, and freedom on the line when their students accuse them of sexual assault. If the accused is a minor, the penalties can be even steeper. If you are a teacher and are facing sexual assault allegations, it is crucial to keep a calm head and not act rashly. Otherwise, you could make the situation worse. 

That said, it is nearly impossible to be calm or patient when you have been accused of a serious crime. Nobody can tell you with a straight face that you can take a deep breath and feel better. You are in for a long and difficult haul, and there may be bad days. However, you can take some comfort in knowing that you have legal rights that prosecutors cannot violate. If your case results in charges, they must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt before you could lose your freedom. 

Contact and Hire a Defense Lawyer Immediately

The first and most important must do is get a lawyer. As an average person who is understandably anxious, there is little that you could do on your own to make your situation better. If you try to handle the situation yourself, you may be walking straight into a trap. Law enforcement could run over your legal rights, and they may have even legally gotten you to waive them. It’s wise to call us now at (855) 529-7761.

A lawyer can assess the situation and begin to advise you about a legal strategy to deal with the allegations. Specifically, your lawyer could do the following:

• Investigate on their own, so they have a complete understanding of what happened
• Identify and talk to witnesses in your case who could testify
• Speak with the prosecutor in an attempt to head off charges
• Advise you about whether to speak with law enforcement and prepare you for that mattering
• Be present when you have any contact with the police or prosecutors
• Figure out any weaknesses or inconsistencies with the allegations

Don’t Speak Out or Speak to Law Enforcement

When it comes to speaking, the best thing to do is nothing. You must recognize early on that keeping quiet and hiring a lawyer is the most effective course of action. Many people think that lawyering up makes them look guilty, but you need to worry about your freedom. You should never try to speak out or speak to anyone without the full knowledge and advice of your lawyer.

You must recognize early on that keeping quiet and hiring a lawyer is the most effective course of action.

There is a natural inclination to think that you can talk your way out of the situation. Sexual assault is a very serious allegation, and there are much larger forces at work. Prosecutors are looking at things through the lens of whether they can charge you with a crime. Anything that you say to them would be viewed through that perspective. Police are trying to gather evidence of any crime, and they will be combing through everything that you say to assist their own investigation.

You should also not speak publicly about the allegations. There is very little that you could do on your own to sway public opinion. At the very minimum, you should keep quiet until you learn that you will not be charged. Then, it may be safe to try to clear your name. Until then, there is too much risk that comes with speaking. This includes talking to the media or even posting on your own social media accounts.

Stay Away from the Accuser

You should also steer clear of your accuser to try to persuade them to recant their allegations. There is nothing good that could come of a conversation. Even making an attempt to contact them could cause you trouble. For starters, there is possible legal jeopardy for witness intimidation. Then, your accuser could report the contact, and it may show a pattern of meetings that could trouble prosecutors.

There is little you could do besides hire and lawyer and let them get your story out as necessary.

As difficult as it sounds, you have to let the process run its course. There is little you could do besides hire and lawyer and let them get your story out as necessary. Speaking out or to someone cannot help you. 

Prepare Yourself Emotionally and Financially

At the same time, you must prepare yourself mentally and financially for what may be a long haul. Legal defense costs money, but it is an absolutely necessary defense. Without it, you could end up having your rights violated or even wrongfully convicted. Accordingly, you should cut your expenses as best as you can to save for legal costs and plan for the long term. If you have access to any line of credit or money, you may need to use it.

Emotionally, you should recognize that this will be a roller coaster that will last a while. If law enforcement declines to charge you, it will only come after a full investigation. They have an obligation to look into the allegation, especially when it involves something as serious as an alleged sexual assault on a student. They will need to investigate this from all angles until they reach their decision. In the meantime, you may be left in an information vacuum, wondering what is happening. 

Find people who you know and trust who can support you throughout all of this.

With that in mind, you should put together a small support network of family or close friends. This is not the time to be speaking to anyone new, but find people who you know and trust who can support you throughout all of this. They can be a strong backbone during the bad days that you will undoubtedly experience until the situation is resolved. 

Call Us Today to Speak to a Los Angeles Sex Crimes Attorney

The attorneys at the LibertyBell Law Group are zealous advocates for their clients. We believe that everyone deserves strong legal representation no matter the allegation, and we work to protect your legal rights and obtain the best possible legal outcome. Call us today at (855) 529-7761 or contact us online to schedule your free consultation. This is a call that you cannot put off making.