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Sexual Abuse Legal News & Updates

signs of sexual abuse trauma in adults
When someone is sexually abused, they don’t always interpret what’s happened to be abuse. This misunderstanding is more common when children are the victims of sexual abuse, especially when the child was groomed by their abuser. There are many other reasons why a sexual abuse victim wouldn’t immediately make the connection. When these events aren’t addressed, they could result in signs of sexual abuse trauma manifesting into adulthood.  While some adults may never think about their early sexual experiences, others may suffer acute disturbances in their everyday lives arising from
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abuse during quarantine
The COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to the rise in reports of child sexual abuse during quarantine across the country. When asked by NPR, the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN)—which runs the National Sexual Assault Hotline—reported that by the end of March, with much of the country under lockdown, there was a 22% increase in monthly calls from people younger than 18, and half of all incoming contacts were from minors. Of those young people who contacted the hotline in March, 67% identified their perpetrator as a family member
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PTSD from being molested as a child
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) not only affects soldiers who have gone to war, but also survivors of childhood sexual trauma. Increasingly, research is bridging gaps in the understanding about how the brain processes traumatic experiences in early childhood and erratically pieces them back together later in life. Scientists have explored the epigenetic changes that occur with child molestation that account for the development of PTSD in adulthood. What’s clear is that trauma has the power to literally shape one’s DNA. The good news is that therapeutic approaches can significantly improve
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compensation for victims of historical sexual abuse
Non-recent sexual abuse, sometimes referred to as “historical sexual abuse,” pertains to incidents that occurred in the past—oftentimes during the victim’s childhood. Many survivors silently carry the burden of what happened for many years before deciding to come forward. When they do decide to come forward, many choose to seek financial redress, as compensation for victims of historical sexual abuse is possible through civil court. If you are a victim of historical sexual abuse, you may be wondering how you can recover compensation for your pain and suffering; an experienced
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school sexual assault
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 is designed to protect students from harassment and sexual violence—including rape, sexual assault, sexual battery, sexual abuse, and sexual coercion—in programs or activities that receive federal financial assistance. The law states that: “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.” Despite what the law says, incidents of school sexual assault still occur. This
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reporting historical sexual abuse to police
For various reasons, survivors of sexual abuse don’t always come forward immediately after the abuse has ended. They may decide to suppress memories of sexual abuse or they may decide to cope in other ways. Everyone’s path is different, but for some, filing a lawsuit in civil court can be a step toward recovery.    If you are considering filing a civil lawsuit, you may be wondering if reporting historical sexual abuse to police is a requirement; it isn’t. Because, regardless of why you chose not to file a police report
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California sexual abuse lawsuits
There are many ways survivors of sexual abuse may choose to cope with what’s happened to them. Many choose to place the abuse behind them, move away, and start fresh. But what if they’ve moved away and want to seek justice for the sexual abuse they endured in the past? Do they file a lawsuit in the state where they currently live? Or, are they required to return to the state where the abuse occurred to seek civil remedy? Like most states, in California, sexual abuse lawsuits are governed by
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can you sue a parent for sexual abuse
It is possible to sue a parent for sexual abuse. It doesn’t matter whether the parent is biological, adopted, or foster. Sexual relations between adults and minors under age 18 are expressly forbidden by California state law. The state also has specific laws against incestual relations between parent and child.   The abuse of trust, coupled with the emotional vulnerability of a child, sometimes makes the abuse difficult to comprehend until many years later. If you are a survivor of childhood sexual predation by a parent, you may be entitled to
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fear of sexual assault
No student should have to attend school each day with the fear of sexual assault overshadowing their educational experience. Federal and state law requires instructive institutions to maintain environments that are free from sexual discrimination, vigilant in identifying signs of abuse, and ready to respond in the event of sexual assault.  If you fear that your school is unsafe from incidents of sexual assault due to inadequate policies, negligent enforcement, complaint processes that go nowhere, and a pervasive culture of permissiveness, you may be able to file a lawsuit to
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sexual assault victim testimony
Survivors of sexual assault can provide a valuable first-person account of the events that happened to them. However, sexual assault victim testimony can be a traumatizing ordeal when having to describe what transpired, in detail, before a courtroom of strangers and the perpetrator(s). When considering seeking justice, many victims may wonder if they will have to endure this type of testimony, leaving many to ask: Is it really necessary that I testify in pursuit of justice? In some cases, no. California Sexual Assault Convictions Without Testimony  Take, for instance, the
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fair act arbitration
At some point in life, you might be asked to sign a mandatory arbitration agreement. This legal contract waives your right to a fair jury trial, compelling you to go through arbitration proceedings to resolve a dispute instead. Arbitration is typically forced in cases of sexual assault and harassment, particularly in the workplace.  Employees are less likely to win private arbitration cases and tend to receive far less compensation than they would in court when they win behind closed doors. Considering some 60 million Americans—including half of all non-unionized workers—have
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age of consent in California
When does a young person have the mental capacity to assume the risks of sexual intercourse and consent to that type of interaction? When does an age gap become a power differential that can be exploited to coerce a sexual relationship? These are the questions lawmakers grapple with in determining the laws regarding the age of consent in California. California PC 261.6 broadly defines consent as “positive cooperation in act or attitude pursuant to an exercise of free will.” By law, “The person must act freely and voluntarily and have
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