Sexual abuse allegations in child custody disputes

Described is how the rise of the "child's best interest" criterion has encouraged mothers & fathers to contest custody, sometimes by accusing each other of sexual abuse of the child. The task of discriminating between probable & improbable allegations is difficult for the courts. At the heart of this issue is the extent to which children tell the truth in matters relating to sexual abuse, or whether they can be influenced by a parent to fabricate an allegation. Anecdotal evidence & research review suggest that the improbability rate is higher in cases of custody & access disputes than when custody &/or access are not being contested. Recommendations are made for the evaluative process. 73 References. Modified AA