The trauma of sexual assault can have life-altering ramifications for survivors of sexual abuse. These acts leave deep scars that may make engaging in routine activities or developing relationships with others challenging. The toll of sexual trauma hurts you physically and emotionally.
If you suffered sexual assault or abuse in Virginia, do not give up hope. Speaking with a sexual assault lawyer who can help you get justice by holding your abuser accountable for the physical, psychological, and emotional pain they inflicted can help lower the barriers to living a fulfilling life.
Pursuing financial restitution from an abuser can be a challenging process for you and your loved ones. Why? Because legal action against the abuser will likely require bringing sensitive and potentially traumatic private information to the surface. This is why it is so important to hire a sexual abuse lawyer in Virginia. They can take proactive steps to help protect your privacy, as much as possible, during the legal proceedings.
If you are a sexual assault victim struggling to pick up the pieces in the aftermath of the abuse, contact an experienced sexual abuse attorney in Virginia to schedule a no-cost, confidential consultation.
In Virginia, sexual assault is codified as sexual battery under Virginia Code § 18.2-67.10. This statutory provision defines sexual battery as “an act committed with the intent to sexually molest, arouse, or gratify any person, where the accused intentionally touches the complaining witness’ intimate parts or material directly covering such intimate parts.” The array of acts considered sexual abuse or assault are covered under Title 18.2 (Crimes and Offenses Generally), Chapter 4 (Crimes Against the Person), generally in Section 18.2-61 through Section 18.2-67.10 of the Virginia Code.
Generally speaking, sexual assault and abuse include any sexual contact with another individual when that person does not consent.
Regardless of their mental capacity, if someone does not affirmatively consent, the sexual contact can be considered sexual assault under the law. This means sexual assault and abuse can involve adults with disabilities, anyone who is under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and/or someone unconscious. In addition, any sexual contact with a minor, regardless of consent, is considered sexual abuse.
Sexual assault generally includes:
Sexual assault in any of these forms can cause significant emotional trauma, making it essential for you – the survivor – to seek legal advice and support as soon as possible.
Each year, Virginia authorities receive thousands of reports of sexual assault and sexual abuse cases. Unfortunately, there are likely many more never reported. According to RAINN, a large anti-sexual violence advocacy group, approximately eight of ten sexual assaults are committed by someone the victim knows. This person could be a family member, a coworker, a teacher, a sports coach, or even a close friend’s parent.
Statistics on child sexual abuse are equally frightening. According to RAINN, approximately one in nine girls and one in fifty-three boys under 18 experience sexual abuse or assault by an adult.
If you were sexually abused or sexually assaulted in Virginia, now is the time to hold the abuser accountable. You have a voice that deserves to be heard. It is critical to make the abuser responsible for their wrongdoing to not only ensure you receive compensation for your harm and losses but to help ensure the abuser does not attempt to engage in similar inappropriate conduct with others.
An experienced and effective sexual abuse lawyer in Virginia will work tirelessly to make sure you secure financial restitution for the harms and losses you’ve endured as a result of the abuse or assault.
A lawyer can help in any of the following types of sexual assault and sexual abuse:
Identifying sexual abuse can be difficult, especially when the victim is a child. But some warning signs to identify adults committing abuse include the following:
Behavioral signs in children experiencing potential sexual abuse include:
Emotional signs of potential sexual abuse include:
In adults, there are similar challenges to identifying a victim of sexual abuse. There are many reasons why a sexual abuse or sexual assault victim would not identify the connection, but warning signs from an abuser can take the following forms:
Sexual abuse victims oftentimes demonstrate the following symptoms:
Sexual abuse victims can and should hold the abuser accountable with the help of an experienced sexual abuse attorney in Virginia.
If you were the victim of sexual abuse, there are specific steps you should take to help protect yourself, including:
The emotional damage inflicted by sexual assault or sexual abuse can be significant. You may feel scared to leave the house and have difficulty holding down a job. Daily routines such as driving to the grocery store or home from work can become difficult. The path toward emotional and psychological well-being may require consistent counseling with therapists, physicians, mental health professionals, and others. In addition, there are many instances where sexual abuse can cause physical symptoms and illness in the victim, including:
A civil action for sexual assault allows you to recoup health care expenses and receive money for physical and emotional damages.
Most people know that there is a legal process for prosecuting sexual abusers in the criminal justice system. However, many people are surprised to discover that a victim of sexual abuse also has the right to file a civil claim against the abuser.
The abuser is subject to both criminal prosecution and civil lawsuits by victims and their family members.
A civil action seeks to hold the abuser financially responsible for the damage they inflicted on your quality of life. Even if the perpetrator is brought to justice in court, the emotional drain of an investigation and trial can leave you feeling depleted. The support of an attorney can ensure you don’t go through this process alone.
The sexual abuser is the primary liable party. Nevertheless, there may be additional liable parties implicated in your civil sexual abuse lawsuit. For example, third parties in a sexual abuse civil case may include:
If you are subjected to sexual harassment or sexual abuse in the workplace, you can hold both the abuser and your employer liable for the damage you experience. Employers must provide all employees with a safe workplace. As a result, an employer can be held accountable when they fail to do so.
In Virginia, sexual harassment or sexual abuse in the workplace may include unwanted sexual advancements, both physical and verbal in nature, from a manager, supervisor, colleague, vendor, and/or customer.
In Virginia, sexual abuse victims do not have an infinite amount of time to file a lawsuit. Sexual abuse victims must file a civil claim within the applicable statute of limitations, which is the time the law allows you to file the complaint in the proper court.
According to Virginia Code § 8.01-243, the applicable statute of limitations for civil sexual abuse cases depends on the age of the victim at the time of the incident and the date the incident happened:
The growing recognition of sexual violence and abuse has led to several high-profile sex abuse settlements.
In Virginia, a jury awarded three plaintiffs $360 million against Cumberland Hospital in New Kent County and its former medical director for sexual abuse.
And Sean “P. Diddy” Combs settled a lawsuit filed by the singer Cassie alleging sexual abuse.
When you are ready to pursue a civil action against the abuser, consider contacting our firm to discuss your legal options and a path forward. Hiring a competent attorney who understands this area of law will increase your likelihood of securing fair compensation and lift some of the weight off your shoulders while you focus on healing and recovery.
Day in and day out, we work tirelessly to pursue financial restitution for victims, including victims of sexual abuse or sexual assault.
Contact Corey Pollard Law today to schedule a no-cost, confidential consultation. You can reach us at (804) 251-1620 or (757) 810-5614. If you decide to initiate legal action with us, you pay no fees unless and until you win compensation.