Torchde Team | January 17, 2021
We know that false sexual assault reports are rare, but do they range from 1 to 3 percent as its been popularly speculated? The percentage of false rape allegations changes by location and year according to studies by Making a Difference (MAD) and Brent E. Turvey. These studies count sexual assaults reported to U.S law enforcement that were proven to be false, not including unfounded claims.
MAD Research
In the mid 2000’s, MAD conducted a multi-site study of 8 U.S committees collecting data from law enforcement. In an 18-24 month period 2,059 rape cases were examined. “Of the 2,059 cases that were included in the study, 140 (7%) were classified as false.” False report statistics in Toronto and England ranged from 7 to 8.3% with Australia at 2.1%.
More Common Than We Think?
Brent E. Turvey, a criminologist, cited 10 statistic studies that debunk the 2 percent assertion in the U.S. and abroad. In his 2017 book, “False Allegations: Investigative and Forensic Issues in Fraudulent Reports of Crime,” Turvey, co-author John O. Savino and Aurelio Coronado Mares, analyze false sexual abuse reports and police statistics.
Reconstructing hundreds of cases of child abuse and sexual assault, an estimated minimum of 20 - 30% were determined to be false reports. However, these statistics are combined with child – custody battles, which in this area the amount of false claims double. The authors also observed other false allegation cases that were labeled ‘unsolved’ by the assigned investigator. Turvey stated: “False reports happen, they are recurrent and there are laws in place to deal with them when they do. They are, for lack of a better word, common.”
What are the Statistics?
The National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC) found that the prevalence of false reporting is between 2 to 10 percent. The statistics across the U.S. established more than 2 percent, with a range closer to 5 – 10%. We’ll never know the real number of false abuse claims. Similar to those who have experienced sexual abuse, many false accusers don’t come forward.