She knew her daughter was telling the truth about sexual contact abuse, but the school didn’t want to believe it. Instead, as far as the system was concerned, the problem was her and her wayward child. And now the matter could end up in court.

She had run out of options. Louise was trying to prepare herself for the fact that she might eventually end up in prison, when she came across the Lie Detector Test UK website. She had cried with relief when we told her that her daughter would be old enough to take the test.

After reading some of the information on the website, Louise felt she had fresh hope of finding an independent way for her daughter to be believed, in an environment that was calm and would not leave her feeling intimidated. This is what happened:

Absent from school

Her daughter had changed when she went to secondary school in ways she didn’t like – but lots of teenagers do. It was easy for the school to blame the incident on Hayley, her daughter, because she had been bunking off and getting into trouble at school before it happened.

However, when Hayley had refused to go to school one day in February, she thought it was odd. She knew her daughter found the lessons boring, but Hayley had always loved hanging out with her friends. Rather than press the issue and cause a huge argument on her way to work, she left it and rung the school to tell them that Hayley was unwell. By the next day, she knew she had a problem.

It was not only that day of school that Hayley had missed. Her 15 year old daughter hadn’t gone back to school for three months. A living hell – Louise’s life had been turned upside down.

She had been patient at first thinking that it was a boy or the other girls being mean. Hayley wasn’t one to complain so Louise had given her a few days. After that, things had become unbearable.

Louise was struggling to keep going at work. She had constant meetings with the school, health professionals and school attendance. There was a four-month waiting list for CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) help and Hayley was spiralling out of control. Now that Louise knew why, it all made sense.

It was her sister who had managed to get to the bottom of it. Jen and Hayley had always been really close, so Hayley had started staying at Jen’s some nights- a relief to Louise because it gave them both a break.

Sexual contact abuse at school

Louise had collapsed when Jen told her. She said the legal term was sexual contact – Louise called it groping. The worst thing was it was the head of Year 10. Hayley had been in trouble in his office when it happened and it was her word against his. She couldn’t blame Hayley for thinking that no-one would believe her.

The rest was all a blur. The teacher in question was on suspension but it was clear that all the professionals involved thought that Hayley was making it up. Still unable to get Hayley to return to school Louise was facing the wrath of the local authority and Hayley was missing important coursework and exam preparation.

Sexual Contact Lie Detector Test

Louise knew that if Hayley felt she had a way to prove her story and to be heard, things would start to move forward.  Lie detector tests have a 98% accuracy rate. With expert questioning from experienced polygraph examiners, who are completely independent from either party, results are based on a complex range of innate changes. These are analysed by a computer so both Louise and Hayley felt that they would have something other than just Hayley’s words against the teacher’s story.

How did it work out?

It definitely wasn’t happy ever after. With the polygraph report concluding that Hayley had passed and was unlikely to be lying, Hayley had really calmed down. She hadn’t returned to her old school, but now attended a new one. She wasn’t exactly happy about going to school there, but at least they could hope that she would feel a lot more at ease. Knowing that the people closest to her believed her story had really soothed Hayley. Bringing the results to the case conference gave them both a spring in their step, because now at least they had something to show.

There are many cases like Louise’s where lie detector tests can be used to provide victims of sexual contact abuse with an opportunity to have their voice heard by an independent body. All our examiners are expertly trained to carry out specific types of tests, with carefully structured questioning.

If you are facing a difficult situation, such as sexual contact abuse, paternity disputes, false accusations or something else, speak to one of our specially trained team today. Learn how a polygraph test could help you to find a little light at the end of the tunnel.