Evaluating allegations of child sexual abuse in custody disputes

Abstract

Thousands of sexual abuse allegations are reported to agencies each year. Of those, between 5 and 35% are later proven to be false; within divorce and custody cases, the rate of false reports is even higher. Therefore, it is essential to separate true occurrences from false allegations. In cases where physical evidence or an adult eyewitness is not available, forensic psychologists may be asked to evaluate the veracity of the allegation. The purpose of this chapter is to describe challenges faced by psychologists, and to provide an overview of the current research to guide psychologists involved in such cases.