Marion County Sexual Abuse Lawyer

In some cases of sexual abuse, perhaps most, the psychological scars never fully heal. Attorneys with experience in handling these sensitive cases can help victims of sexual abuse obtain justice, both by holding the abusers and/or holding the institutions that enabled them accountable.

Criminal penalties for sexual abuse crimes are more stringent than in the past and a sexual abuse lawyer can help with this. But criminal prosecution is not sufficient. Abusers should be forced to pay monetary damages to their victims, and filing a civil lawsuit with an experienced Marion County sexual abuse lawyer is the way to do that.

Sensitive Issues

Sexual abuse cases involve sensitive, painful occurrences and memories that require individualized attention and a skilled legal advocate with a proven track record of helping individuals in such cases.

The law defines sexual abuse as physical sexual acts perpetrated against a person’s will, or where a person is incapable of giving consent – including rape, sexual assault, and sexual coercion.

Many victims of this kind of abuse need long-term psychiatric help before they can rebuild their lives. This sort of treatment is extremely costly and frequently is not covered by insurance. A Marion County sexual abuse lawyer can help with this process.

Proving Negligence

Sexual abuse is often committed by relatives or family friends who abuse their position of trust. It can also happen within institutions that had a legal duty to instill procedures that would prevent this kind of abuse – but perhaps failed to do so. A Marion County sexual abuse lawyer will take a close look into where the procedures failed to prevent the abuse.

Daycare is a good example. In today’s world, many parents entrust their children to daycare providers. Unfortunately, sometimes providers are negligent in supervising children and ensuring their safety.

Perhaps a daycare center neglected to perform a thorough background check on its employees, allowing someone to work with minors even though they have a history of sexual abuse. The daycare may have failed to recognize red flags that should have alerted them to the employees that pose a danger to children. In addition, daycare providers should have clear policies in place to prevent inappropriate touching. Hospitals, nursing homes, and workplaces are other locations where sexual abuse has been allowed to occur.

Abuse on University Campuses or Religious Institutions

Colleges and universities are other common examples of places reported. The incidence of rape and other forms of sexual abuse has been rising at universities at a shocking rate. Many institutions allow a culture of sexual assault to go on.

Victims of sexual abuse on campus face serious obstacles in pursuing justice—stigmatizing of the victim, incomplete investigations, and a reluctance to punish the perpetrators can all discourage a student victim.

Sexual abuse can also happen within religious institutions. The media constantly reports on sexual abuse by priests, ministers, and other members of the clergy. Churches and similar institutions offer a sexual predator the chance to control young victims in a place where there is an implicit level of trust. This sort of abuse can result in particularly long-lasting emotional scarring.

How a Marion County Sexual Abuse Lawyer Can Help

Lawyers with experience in sexual abuse claims and suits know how to support the victim while building a case for the most favorable verdict or settlement.

Sexual abuse lawyers know the types of evidence needed to persuade a jury of the abuse’s occurrence, that the harm is real, and that the parties that should have been vigilant were, in fact, negligent.

Victims may find it painful to discuss the matter with anyone. A skilled attorney will treat you or your family remember with respect and sympathy. Seeking damages is the only method of holding the guilty parties accountable and getting justice for those harmed. Call today to learn how a Marion County sexual abuse lawyer can help you.