False The False Narrative Fueling the Current Hysteria About Sexual Assault

If someone is accused of making a false allegation, it is usually assumed that the person making the false allegation is lying. Lying is an intentional misrepresentations of facts. In most allegations of sexual assault, there is no evidence. The woman says she was sexually assaulted and the accused man denies it. The woman says she can name her assailant, but might point her finger at the wrong guy. Supporters of the alleged assailant often try to undermine the credibility of the woman, to prove she is lying. Supporters of the woman making the allegations try to undermine the credibility of the man, to prove he is lying. Lying is just one of the many meanings of false. It is entirely possible for a woman to make an allegation against a man with 100% certainty of the truth of her allegations. It is also possible for a man to deny the allegations with 100% certainty.How false allegations happen is a testament to the complexity and fallibility of being human, as well as our tendency to surround ourselves with people who reflect our personal reality.Using the Christine Ford's allegations against Brett Kavanaugh as a case study, this book looks at how false definitions of sexual assault and consent are causing a fear based hysteria about sexual assault.