How does an innocent person react when accused of cheating?
Even if you didn’t do it, being accused of cheating can be very traumatizing.
Unfortunately, many people find themselves in this situation countless times.
Accusing someone of cheating affects their reputation and your relationship with them, even if the accusation turns out to be false.
Many emotions come to the surface when you accuse someone of cheating, especially when they’re not guilty.
Therefore, a clear understanding of how an innocent person will react when accused of cheating is important.
Let’s get to it.
How Does An Innocent Person React When Accused Of Cheating?
It hurts a lot if someone accuses you of cheating and you’re innocent.
There are some reasons why your partner may accuse you of cheating.
Perhaps they are cheating, insecure, or misinterpret some of your actions for cheating.
Most allegations and cases of infidelity in relationships and marriages come from a place of lack of trust.
Does your partner accuse you of cheating?
They may feel insecure and don’t trust you as much as they used to.
Here are some ways an innocent person reacts when accused of cheating:
1. Shock and disbelief
If an innocent person is accused of cheating, they’ll be shocked, to say the least.
They’ll refuse to believe that the accusation is directed at them for some time.
If the accused is your partner and they’ve never cheated on you, they’ll refuse to believe that you can ever think of them being with other people.
Cheating may be their deal breaker, contradicts their commitment and actions in the relationship, and goes against their beliefs.
2. They feel betrayed
An innocent person will feel betrayed when you accuse them of cheating.
Because they felt that you (their partner) trusted them as much as they trusted you, a false accusation of this magnitude will make them feel betrayed by you.
Anyone who accuses you of cheating does not trust you.
With this accusation, you’ll feel very betrayed and think your partner takes your feelings and commitment to the relationship for granted.
3. They will be angry
If you accuse innocent people of cheating, they’ll get angry and frustrated.
They’re angry because you’re trying to destroy their reputation.
They’ll also get angry because you’re questioning their integrity.
When you’re accused falsely, the frustration is overwhelming, and because you feel that the accuser is being unreasonable and unjust, your frustration will turn to anger.
4. They’re hurt and will get defensive
When you accuse an innocent person of cheating, they get hurt emotionally and become defensive because they didn’t do what you’re accusing them of.
They’ll be emotionally hurt because you questioned their love, loyalty, commitment, and trust in the relationship.
And then, they’ll get defensive and try to protect their integrity and reputation by explaining themselves in the scenario where you feel they were cheating.
It hurts really bad when you’re accused of something you didn’t do, especially something as serious as cheating on your partner.
An innocent person will get defensive because of the shock and resultant hurt caused by the accusation.
5. They’ll want to provide alibi and evidence
When you accuse an innocent person of cheating, they’ll defend themselves and want to show evidence of what they were up to when you said they were cheating.
They will provide alibi(s) and bring evidence(s) to show that they’re innocent of your accusations.
Even if they don’t have written details, once an innocent person is accused, they quickly remember where they were, whom they were with, and what they were doing at the exact times they were said to be cheating.
Because they want to clear their name, they’re willing to have you call their friends or whoever they were with to verify their whereabouts on the said date(s) and time(s).
6. They’re willing to discuss the accusation
After an innocent person has stated facts that prove their innocence in cheating situations, they’re willing to talk about the accusation and the circumstances that surround it.
It’s not far from them, to be honest, in their explanations.
They’ll also reassure you of their love for and faithfulness to you.
They’re willing to clear up any misinformation that made you suspect that they’re cheating.
For example, if you accuse your female partner of cheating, she’ll want to know why you think she’s cheating.
Then, you tell her you went through her phone and saw her texts with other guys.
Without batting an eyelid, she’ll tell you why she was texting them.
Perhaps she’s texting her male colleagues at work concerning a joint project that needs immediate attention.
Whatever the case, she’ll want to clear your doubts and help you build trust in the relationship.
7. They will withdraw
Depending on the temperament of the accused person, this is actually a thing.
Some may withdraw because they are hurt and don’t want to confront you.
This might look like them being silent in the face of the accusation.
Not everyone is naturally vocal or expressive.
Some people, particularly introverted personalities, will withdraw into their shell.
If you are one who believes that silence is consent, you will be missing it big time with them!
Effects Of False Cheating Accusations On A Relationship
No one can pretend not to be hurt when falsely accused of cheating in a relationship.
It truly hurts a lot, and it has many adverse effects on a relationship.
Some of these effects include:
1. Fear
False accusation instills fear in the accused.
They’ll be afraid and unsure of what their partner thinks of them.
It’ll make them to be walking on eggshells around their partner.
Also, if they feel that their partner doesn’t believe that they didn’t cheat, they’ll be worried that their partner will cheat on them to get even with them.
So, they’ll be constantly watching their back in fear.
2. Anger
It’s normal to feel angry when you’ve been falsely accused.
You’ll even be angrier that your partner thinks so lowly of you.
Many things will get you angry in this situation.
Your partner does not trust you while you trust them completely, realizing what they think of you and seeing your efforts and commitment to the relationship as a waste, among others.
3. Self-doubt
Your partner unconsciously creates room for self-doubt in you when they falsely accuse you of cheating.
You may start doubting your reality and how you see things.
If you were not so confident in yourself before the false accusation was leveled against you, you’d start second-guessing yourself before doing anything to avoid misinterpretation by your partner.
What a sad place to be!
4. Uncertainty
There’s an air of uncertainty that comes with being accused falsely.
Although unspoken, it hangs thickly in the air over the relationship.
You live with the uncertainty that your partner may wake up one day and end the relationship because you don’t know if they believe you’re innocent.
5. Resentment
When anger accumulates, it turns into resentment.
And it applies to when your partner constantly falsely accuses you of cheating.
All the anger you experience each time you’re accused piles up and becomes a deep-seated resentment towards them.
At that point, I don’t know what you’re still doing in a relationship where your partner has zero trust in you.
What To Do When You’re Falsely Accused Of Cheating
Have you been falsely accused of cheating?
Here are some things you can do about it:
1. Talk when you’re calm
If your partner accuses you of cheating, they’ll be angry while at it.
You’ll also be hurt and go into defensive mode.
But it’ll be best to wait till you’re calm before addressing the issue.
Speaking when both of you are angry and not thinking straight can make you say things you don’t mean.
Explaining yourself when tempers have died down will be a chore, and convincing your partner that you didn’t mean what you said will be difficult.
So, please wait for your partner to vent their anger before speaking.
2. Address the underlying issues
As the saying goes, there’s no smoke without fire.
Why is your partner accusing you of cheating?
What are they afraid of?
Have you cheated on them before?
Are they cheating on you?
Are they insecure?
It’s important to deal with these questions with your partner and handle them with a head-on approach to avoid more accusations in the future.
3. Clear up boundaries
You must clear up boundaries with your partner if they falsely accuse you of cheating.
There may be things your partner considers as cheating that you don’t.
Is this the case?
Then, clarify what cheating is in your relationship.
Is texting a friend of the opposite gender cheating?
Is going on a work date cheating?
Is texting your baby mama cheating?
The set conditions must apply to both partners to eliminate trust issues.
4. Leave the relationship
It’s in your best interest to leave the relationship if your partner keeps accusing you falsely of cheating, even after all you’ve done to prove your loyalty and commitment to your relationship.
You deserve better.
You deserve someone who trusts you enough to know you won’t cheat on them and believes you when you say so.
Conclusion
Cheating is one of the biggest causes of problems in relationships and marriages.
But it can be painful if you’re being accused falsely of cheating.
In this article, we have explored the different reactions of an innocent person to a cheating accusation, the effects of false accusations on relationships, and what to do if your partner falsely accuses you of cheating.
Did you find this article helpful?
Let me know in the comments.