Introduction
F.A.C.T. is essentially a campaigning organisation and a support group. Our aim is to provide help and advice and to:
- campaign for justice, and lobby for change
- provide help and advice and support carers and teachers (and their families) who have been falsely accused of child abuse
- raise public awareness concerning the reality and risks of false allegations of abuse
F.A.C.T. recognises that, tragically, some children are abused - including sometimes by carers and teachers. Abuse of children (and for that matter adults is always wrong. Those who abuse children deserve to be punished.
However in recognising that abuse does occur, it is our belief that it does not occur on the scale that is claimed. We believe the vast majority of complaints made against carers and teachers have been exaggerated, and that significant numbers of them have been fabricated, and are entirely false.
All we ask is that those concerned to promote the welfare of children and protect them from harm also accept that false allegations are made, and that such allegations are not in children's (or society's) best interest.
Our work involves media campaigns, lobbying politicians, and entering into a more positive dialogue with the investigative bodies, child protection agencies, Government agencies, and regulatory bodies. We work closely with the media, academics and lawyers and other groups who share our concerns. We will robustly defend the rights of people falsely accused and wrongly convicted, and challenge poor investigative practice whenever and wherever it takes place.
We believe that investigative agencies (including child protection bodies and the police) need to accept that some people are motivated to make false abuse allegations.
We also believe that it is important investigative agencies acknowledge the reality that sometimes false allegations ARE made, and that to say so publicly is not incompatible with their duty to protect children. Indeed we would argue that until the State and child care professionals accept this reality children cannot be effectively safeguarded.
What matters in any investigation of abuse is the truth. The truth can only be established if society and child protection investigative agencies remain open to the possibility that allegations of abuse may not be true, as they are to the possibility that an allegation may be true. Far too often investigative agencies presume guilt and suspend disbelief . What is needed is a return to objective, evidence based investigation. without which serious miscarriages of justice will continue to occur.