The Law needs to be changed in the state of South Carolina of False Accusations of Child Abuse!

Under the current laws, statutes and guidelines. Anyone can report a family for child neglect and abuse without any obligation to be truthfully factual. A person or persons can under the current policy, report anyone with absolutely no obligation to be held accountable if the accusation turns out to be false and possible filed for other than those reasons. ie: they just don't like the person, retaliation, eliminate competition etc.
While I understand completely the need for citizens to be able to report those who might be committing child abuse/neglect. There is "no" policy or law in place at this time to stop those who would subject anyone to the Child Protective Services (DSS) investigation for "other than appropriate" reasons.
ANY person or persons can make this claim of ANYONE with a child or children with absolute anonimity and the person(s) accused have "no" rights to "face their accuser(s). This, even if the claim turns out to be "completely unfounded". Herein lies the problem.
This law should reflect that if someone makes an acuusation which turns out to be completely unfounded, they should be subject to legal recourse for making "false" accusations and creating an investigation that is false and whcih also "wastes" the time of the DSS Child Protective Services and the funding that is supplied by all of us the people of the state of South Carolina.
If you are investigated by the S.C. DSS child protective services and even if the accusation turns out to be false, you then will have a state "record" of the incident for a period of 5 years. No matter what the reasons were. You also have "no" recourse to face and or investigate the person(s) responsible for doing this to you and you're family.
While anonimity is yes an important aspect of this department, it should not be absolute with "no" recouse on those who would do this without cause.
If by example: someone pulls a fire alarm and there is no fire, they are charged with a crime. If someone makes a frivalous and false 911 call, they are charged with a crime. If someone makes a false police report of any kind, they are charged with that crime. In a court of criminal law, a person accused of a crime has the "right" to face their accuser to be able to defend themself. In other words, there is acountablility.
Any individual(s) who would use this to simply harrass or attack others for whatever reason should and must be held accountable as well. This for the protection of all of us and this includes the children who would be involved. If someone subjects a family to such an investigation, they and the child or children involved would be greatly affected by such an action. They have suffered a degree of fear and trepedation in this process. They have been "accused" and now even have a record in the state for this and have no course to face their accuser much less remove this from their state file.
Anyone who makes such an accusation should be held responsible for a "false" accusation and recourse should be available to the family falsely accused.
This law in it's current form needs to be changed in the State of South Carolina and we the signed herein want the state legeslators to do this.
This petition was delivered to:
State of South Carolina Legislators
The State of South Carolina Child Protection Services
South Carolina State House
South Carolina State Senate

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