Woman Keeps Accusing Father-In-Law of Abusive Behavior

[freakinhobo]

I'll try to keep this as short as possible.. but it's a lot.

My father-in-laws family took this woman into their home decades ago because she was in a troubled home...to put in nicely. They essentially adopted her and was considered their daughter and he children their grandchildren. Starting about 2020 she started making accusations that my father-in-law had inappropriately touched her son (approx 5 years old). This prompted investigations and inquiries of which absolutely nothing came to light. Since that time she has told as many people around their town what she thinks my FIL did. On top of that she has gone to his work numerous times trying to get him fired. Twice every year she accuses him of something done to her children, and again shares her messed up reality with the town and his place of work. Just recently she has accused him of now molesting her daughter in 2013.

Some things to note from this woman:

1. She came from a very abusive household with physical and sexual abuse.
2. She has accused other family members AND acquaintances of either trying to touch her inappropriately or touching her children inappropriately. She constantly accuses random strangers in stores that they are trying to follow and abduct her.
3. She physically and sexually abused my wife and her brother when they were children (about 10 years old).

When these things come up, all of my wife's trauma inflicted by this person is renewed and it completely consumes her. I am tired of this woman negatively impacting so many people's lives with no repercussions whatsoever. Is there nothing that can be done about blatantly making up accusations towards other people as a hobby? I've talked to my wife about pressing charges against her and essentially using the nuclear option, but I'm not sure reliving all of this in detail would be good for her mental health as well.

Is there ANYTHING that can legally be done about this woman ruining people's lives on a regular basis?

[atticus]

This sounds like a case for an injunction under anti-harassment legislation.

[freakinhobo]

Would this affect anything as far as constant accusations to law enforcement? Anytime she does something he has to notify his job as he's a school teacher. It's insane to be that someone can accuse some folks multiple times, as well as others, and there are no repercussions to it. She honestly is under the belief that everyone out there wants to rape her and her family. I assume this stems from her own abuse but come on...

[atticus]

Is he a member of a union? If so, he may be able to get professional advice via the union.

[Manxman]

freakinhobo - sorry but are you asking for your wife or for your father in law?

It's your FiL who seems to be the victim and if this woman's behaviour bothers him he should be making a formal complaint to the police under the anti-harrassment legislation mentioned by atticus.

I'm not sure what your wife can do as she isn't the target of these allegations(?).

Harrassment is a criminal offence and can lead to injunctions and more serious consequences for the offender.

(There was an interesting programme on Channel 4 earlier this week about a group of social media trolls who spread false rumours of abuse concering four families in Hampstead. The ringleader of these false rumours was convicted of harrassment and was sentenced to 9 years in prison. See Watch Accused: The Hampstead Paedophile Hoax | Stream free on Channel 4 and Hampstead Hoax - Wikipedia )

[freakinhobo]

freakinhobo - sorry but are you asking for your wife or for your father in law?

It's your FiL who seems to be the victim and if this woman's behaviour bothers him he should be making a formal complaint to the police under the anti-harrassment legislation mentioned by atticus.

I'm not sure what your wife can do as she isn't the target of these allegations(?).

Harrassment is a criminal offence and can lead to injunctions and more serious consequences for the offender.

(There was an interesting programme on Channel 4 earlier this week about a group of social media trolls who spread false rumours of abuse concering four families in Hampstead. The ringleader of these false rumours was convicted of harrassment and was sentenced to 9 years in prison. See Watch Accused: The Hampstead Paedophile Hoax | Stream free on Channel 4 and Hampstead Hoax - Wikipedia )

Sorry I know it's a little confusing.. but the constant allegations are against my FIL. But it severely impacts my wife because of her childhood trauma that resurfaces because of it. The woman accusing my FIL is the same one who is my wife's abuser. This woman's own sexual trauma and past abuse has made her think everyone is out to molest her entire family.

I'll watch the video thanks. Right now I'm just trying to get him to pursue legal counsel so he can get all of these options laid out. This has gone on for too long.

[Manxman]

.... Right now I'm just trying to get him to pursue legal counsel so he can get all of these options laid out. This has gone on for too long.

Don't expect it to cease quickly. The people who make these sort of allegations usually have some sort of mental health issues*. Even if your FiL gets the police involved and even he gets civil injunctions against this woman, she'll quite likely ignore the police and break the injunctions.

By the way, I'm curious that you refer to "legal counsel". You're aware this is a UK website and I assume you are in the UK? It's just that "legal counsel" sounds more American than English and quite a lot of Americans end up here by mistake. I don't know what approach your FiL would need to take in the US.


* Often arising from their own history of being accused as a child themselves - but that's of no comfort to your wife and her father.