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Abstract: 

In addition to criminal prosecutions, child sex abuse allegations commonly arise in child protection matters, divorce/custody disputes, and other civil litigation. These allegations are high stakes situations for both children and the accused. This article provides conceptual tools, a vocabulary, and a framework for assessing the reliability of child sexual abuse allegations utilizing an evidence-based review of the literature. It is consistent with best practice guidelines in forensic psychology. The article is written by a board-certified forensic psychologist with several decades of experience in criminal and family court from the perspective of a defense expert, although the concepts, factors, and procedures are common to both defense and prosecution of cases.

Keywords: Child Sex Abuse Allegations

Affiliations:  1: University of Hawaii.