Have people, whether in Denmark (or Scandinavia in general) and in modern times...

... REALLY and COMPLETELY LOST their faith in law, especially for a matter related to this character's "accusation", that they are willing to automatically accept a few words and a rumour without further investigation, and that the accused lead character would refuse to get a lawyer to help establish his innocence (and have his town believe it too) and that even when there is strong evidence he may not have been guilty at all in the form of an absence of a "basement", people just turn a blind eye to law and still believe him like that to be guilty and are willing to attack him and threaten to kill him like that?

Regardless of how imperfect sadly law is overall and how in these cases it can be often difficult to prove and whatnot (by the way, if the legal aspect of this matter was much more efficient in general, would the town then really be so gripped by fear and lack of trust and desire to indulge in vigilantism?), have people totally lost faith in it?

And also, what if either Lucas WAS to go to the police OR say someone on his behalf contacted them and informed them that Lucas was being constantly threatened and mistreated and also have his dog killed etc, would they intervene but also publicly announce his innocence and maybe even open their OWN investigation into what REALLY happened and what prompted the child to make up that story and have it turn into a threatening "truth" as such? Would they even be able to discover what really happened?

And also. Let's say besides MAYBE EVEN Lucas' guilt.

If the parents or others REALLY believed that their child was abused in any way in such a way, would they also be devoted to seeking further HELP for their child AS WELL instead of say ONLY terrorizing and ostracizing the "suspected party"? Like say medical assistance or something of that nature or further investigation and whatnot? Regardless of whether or not they believe something "did" or "did not happen", and would they eventually maybe even in years time discover the brother's friend showing a highly inappropriate adult video to the child whilst using a particular term, if they were to dig down into the truth etc?

And also. Even if they believed in that man's guilt, but since he WAS innocent, does them attacking him AND killing his dog make them not only wrong and also criminal but downright EVIL and just bad people? And even if police wouldn't jail them etc, should someone at least have a word with them about it all?

Cheers. (And yes I know its a depressing issue on SEVERAL LEVELS.)