Rape is a shameful act that may not only afford you some time in prison but also incur deep psychological conditions like stress and depression. It is even worse when you are wrongly accused of the act. In fact, some people fail to deal with their tarnished reputations and the pressure of police investigations, and hence, they see suicide as the easy way out. But that is not the right way of handling the situation. The following guide explains how you can clear your name.  

What Exactly Is Considered A Rape Offense?

While you are trying hard to prove your innocence, it is important to understand the acts that define a rape. An action is considered as a case of rape when a person unlawfully engages in intercourse with another person against this person's will.  The victim's lack of willingness or consent is an important factor in rape cases. Keep in mind that it includes the victim's inability to say 'no' to intercourse because of certain influences like drugs and alcohol.

Sexual intercourse with a minor is also deemed as an act of rape (statutory rape), where a minor is defined as a person who is below the age of consent. By law, someone below this age cannot legally agree to intercourse.  Statutory rape laws may vary from place to place since the age of consent may not be the same in all states or regions of a country.

If you are certain that your acts do not fall within these parameters, then you are innocent and have been falsely accused.

What Can You Do If You Are Falsely Accused?

There are a few things you can do to prepare for the false accusations. One is to gather evidence regarding where you were and what you were doing during the time of the incident. If need be, you can even bring witnesses forward to boost your defense. Without an alibi, your defense gets weaker and weaker as the case proceeds. Another measure is to prepare financially for the medical tests that may come your way such as DNA tests and psychological evaluation tests. DNA tests may prove to be helpful particularly when no other tactics appear to be working.

But your best bet out of this case could be a criminal defense lawyer simply because you may find it difficult to determine your legal rights in such a scenario. On top of that, a criminal lawyer may be of big help when you are being questioned by an interrogation officer. There are officers who bombard the accused with twisted questions that are intended to influence the accused into making false statements; it may take only one wrong answer to steer your case in a direction that proves you are guilty even when you are not. However, a lawyer will advise you on how to respond to such questions.

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