Expert: Paul Johnson - 6/15/2010

Question
Last week, two police officers came to our home to tell us that our son has been accused of raping a 16 yo girl. The officers told us the girl claimed the attack took place at 3pm in a park on a Wednesday afternoon.

He is 18 and has AS. We know the allegations are not true, because our son broke his leg playing football, and he has been in hospital with a plaster-cast on his leg for the past 2 weeks now. It would have been impossible for him to have been in the place at the time stated, since he hasn't been able to walk just yet.

Our son only vaguely knows this girl, and he's worried about what'll happen to him. He told us he's only ever spoken to her so infrequently, she doesn't even know his name, and we have no reason not to believe him, our son is very honest.

As a family, how should we deal with these malicious allegations?

Answer
Hey Laurie,


Thank you for your important and challenging question. I do know that people on the Autism Spectrum has been targets for bullying in a highly disproportionate manner. We are targets all of our lives. When an Individual is my age the bullying take a different form but Neurotypicals still empower themselves to pick on us.

The reason is simple. We are non conformist and we have an invisible disability. Our struggles are not like a blind person with a seeing eye dog and a walking cane. Thus people do not know think there is anything wrong with abusing us. We apparently make ideal targets. We appear to be simpletons without a reason to make a person feel guilty for abusing us, so they do so.

Trust me getting through junior high school for me was a minor miracle.

Maybe you and your son should ask the girl and her parents to meet in a neutral site to discuss the allegations out in the open. If they decline the offer this should probably be accepted  as avoidance on their part. Avoiding their lies. It would also demonstrate to the community as a whole that he is is willing to stand up for him self and that there will be consequences for just saying anything about him without substantiation. And most importantly it would demonstrate to your son that he is empowered to face rumors and falsehood, because at the age of 18 there will be plenty more rumors that will likely come his way especially if he is successful in life.