(condensed from Ein Ayah, Berachot 5:24)

Gemara: [Chana said to Eili]: “Do not mistake your servant for an immoral woman” (Shmuel I, 1:16) – from here we see that if people are suspecting someone of a matter that is not true (literally, is not within him), he should inform the one who suspected [of the mistake].

Ein Ayah: The feeling of dignity is a pillar of the world of morality, as many people refrain from doing improper things in order to avoid being shamed in people’s eyes. Therefore, it is proper even for a great person, who does not need such reinforcement, to use this technique for the betterment of society. That is why one should let others know that he is free of the guilt he was suspected of. In this way, he protects his personal dignity, which is important even if it does not bother him what others think so that people get used to caring about their dignity.