If the police accuse you of a crime, it’s probably going to be upsetting. If you’re innocent, then the unfairness of what’s happening can sting. It can feel like someone is dragging your name through the mud.
What’s more, a false accusation can change your lifestyle in many ways. Let’s look at some possible changes to your day-to-day existence if you have a false allegation hanging over your head.
Your Friends Might Abandon You
If the police accuse you of a crime that you didn’t commit, it could be many different things. Maybe you’re being accused of:
- Rape or sexual assault
- Robbery
- Burglary
- Homicide
It might be a white-collar crime like larceny or embezzlement. Whatever the nature of it, it’s distressing to think that people might feel like you did this thing, when in fact, you’re innocent.
It’s worse, though, if you can tell that some people you thought were your friends have turned against you. You’d think that if someone was truly your friend, and you said to them that you’re innocent of the crime they’re accusing you of, that they’d believe you. But maybe they don’t, and they’ve decided to turn their back on you.
You might end up discovering that some of the people you believed were your friends aren’t as close with you as you’d thought. Even if you can prove your innocence, their betrayal might mean that things are never the same between you again.
You Might Get Fired from Your Job
If you face a criminal conviction, then you could lose your job. However, it’s also possible that you could lose your position even before you’re convicted. Your employer might feel like just the accusation is enough.
They might fire you because:
- They don’t want the negative publicity for their company
- They feel like they can quickly replace you
Whether this will happen or not will probably depend on your job’s nature. If you hold a vital company position and have worked there for many years, then your employer might get behind you and support you during this difficult time.
If you work doing something like retail or fast food, your boss might feel that they can replace you easily. They could give you the ax without ever bothering to find out the court case’s outcome.
You Might Need to Go Dark on Social Media
Social media can be a very cruel place sometimes. There are tons of negativity that float around on the various platforms.
If you engage in a lot of social media activity, and you get accused of a crime, then you might need to shut down your accounts or stop using them temporarily if people find out about it. Much like the situation with your in-person friends, you’d hope that your internet buddies will give you the benefit of the doubt if you proclaim your innocence.
If the police accuse you of something high-profile, you may face some backlash on social media that could upset you. You might need to abandon your accounts entirely until you can prove your innocence.
You Might Not Even Want to Leave the House
If what the law accuses you of is bad enough, and you gain infamy because of the accusation, you might be in physical danger when you leave your house. The court of public opinion can be merciless. If your community tries to make you a pariah because of the crime hanging over your head, you might need to stay indoors as much as possible.
It’s no good trying to explain that you’re innocent to an angry crowd. If the police have accused you of something so egregious that it angers people beyond reason, you might need to lock yourself away at home for a bit until you can get things sorted out. Teachers who face false accusations of inappropriate contact with students can get this sort of treatment.
If something like this happens, it can feel like the worst part of your life. You want things to go back to normal, and that’s not going to be easy to accomplish.
You’ll need to get an excellent lawyer who can gather evidence that what the police have accused you of is false. Remember that the burden of proof does fall on the prosecution to prove their case. If you didn’t do what they say you did, then you should be able to beat the charges and resume your normal life again.
