Victims of sexual assault endure injury, pain, and suffering well beyond the physical effects of the attack. Profound emotional wounds haunt them for the rest of their lives. The criminal justice system may punish attackers for their crimes, but financial restitution for survivors lies within the hands of civil courts.
Although it seems impossible to attach a monetary value to the damages inflicted from an assault, these tragedies can have severe economic effects on the victim. The cost of medical and psychological treatment, the inability to work now or in the future, even the break-up of families and the resulting economic loss are just a few of the examples where financial impact and hardship very much come into play.
Legal measures do exist for recovering some of these damages in civil court. In many cases, the liability for a sexual assault extends beyond the perpetrator—perhaps to an organization or institution that knew and didn’t take action—increasing the likelihood a victim can receive substantial judgments.
If you or a loved one were sexually assaulted, a lawyer from Pintas & Mullins Law Firm will represent you and your right to receive compensation—no matter who is liable. Call us today for a no-obligation consultation.
Types of Sexual Assault
Sexual assault comprises of various actions. All types, however, hold one thing in common: They happen against the victim’s will or consent. Sexual assault includes actions that occur when an individual is under the influence of drugs or alcohol, disabled, or below the age of consent in the state where the assault transpired.
The National Institute of Justice lists the following activities as forms of sexual assault:
- Intentionally touching the victim’s genitals, breasts, groin, or anus
- Exposing the victim to exhibitionism
- Exposing the victim to pornography
- Voyeurism
- Publicly displaying images taken of the victim in a “private context” or without their knowledge
These actions may or may not involve the use of actual force, weapons, threats of force, intimidation, coercion, or pressure.
Rape
Although in some states, sexual assault stops short of attempted rape or rape, other states use the terms interchangeably, and still others consider rape to be a form of sexual assault. In a situation of rape, the victim suffers nonconsensual penetration (vaginal, anal, or oral), either by objects or the perpetrator’s body parts. This type of assault involves physical force or threats of physical harm. Alternatively, the victim is considered a minor or was incapacitated at the time of the assault.
Child Sexual Assault
Children often conceal a sexual assault from their loved ones. Their feelings of embarrassment, guilt or fear of retribution from their assaulter may cause young victims to keep the incident to themselves—and perpetrators know this. The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) is the country’s largest anti-sexual violence organization. This group urges loved ones to be aware of the signs of sexual assault that a young child or teen may exhibit.
Warning Signs of Sexual Assault in Young Children
- Resuming bedwetting or thumb-sucking (after the child has already outgrown it)
- Age-inappropriate sexual behavior
- Reluctance to remove clothes for bathing or to change
- Unwillingness to remain alone with particular individuals
- Nightmares, fearfulness, worry
- Unnatural knowledge or talk about sexual matters
When in doubt, follow your instincts regarding the possibility that your young child suffered sexual assault.
Warning Signs of Sexual Assault in a Teen
These signs can fly under the radar, as many loved ones may view them as expressions of adolescence:
- Depression, worry, or anxiety
- Bruising
- Unexplained weight loss or weight gain and unhealthy eating habits
- Drops in grades
- Self-harm
- Alcohol or drug use or abuse
- Talk of suicide or suicidal behavior
- Inattentiveness to hygiene, fashion, or appearance
- Sexually transmitted disease
Keep in mind that the teen may be harboring feelings of guilt or shame. Urge them to talk to you, and make it clear they carry no blame for the assault.
For a free legal consultation with a Sexual Assault Lawyer serving nationwide.
For a free legal consultation with a Sexual Assault Lawyer serving nationwide, call (800) 219-9622
Clergy Abuse
When a clergy member perpetrates sexual assault, they are inflicting profound emotional and spiritual wounds on their victims, adding to the pain, and suffering of their physical injuries. Sadly, the world continues to uncover a great number of such assaults—many of which occurred years ago and cause their victims to suffer a lifetime of pain.
The Catholic Church has been beset by allegations of sexual abuse by priests, bishops, and even archbishops. The institution recently came forward with a list of publicly accused priests in the U.S. Because of these church-verified revelations, states are now implementing legislation, like New York’s Child Victims Act, which extends statutes of limitations for these offenses. These laws enable victims to seek compensation from the church decades after the abuse occurred, which is especially important since repressed memory may keep the victim virtually unaware of abuses that happened to them years ago.
It should be underscored that these abuses extend to every faith and type of religious institution, including Islam, Judaism, Mormonism, and various other denominations of Christianity, as well as in schools connected with these religions.
A sexual assault lawyer from Pintas & Mullins Law Firm is ready to hold any clergy member, and/or the church or other institution with which they affiliate, accountable for the damages they cause through sexual assault. Call us today for a free consultation.
Sexual Assault Lawyer Near Me (800) 219-9622
Jeffrey Epstein Victims Compensation Fund
About the Epstein VCP
For 17 years, Epstein sexually abused young women and girls by forcing them to provide sex services to him and the rich and powerful clientele of his sex trafficking ring. The abuse occurred from 2001 to 2018 at his multiple estates in New York, Florida, the U.S. Virgin Islands, France, and New Mexico. The victims ranged from 12 to 17 years of age, and suffered physical, emotional, and psychological abuse that left lifelong scars.
The Epstein estate consulted with the attorney general of the U.S. Virgin Islands and with attorneys for various victims to create a Victim’s Compensation Program (VCP). The purpose of VCP is to provide a confidential, voluntary, and non-adversarial way to help alleviate damages resulting from Epstein’s reprehensible actions.
Individuals who registered as claimants had their claims reviewed and, if eligible for compensation, received thousands to millions of dollars. Pintas & Mullins helped claimants receive compensation without having them endure publicity or wait for the resolution of a court case, which could take years.
Victims of Epstein’s abuse had the opportunity to receive payments from the Epstein VCP. The VCP began accepting claims from victim-survivors of Epstein’s sexual abuse on June 25, 2020, and the deadline to file for this claim was March 25th, 2021.
Pintas & Mullins Law’s Pursuit of Justice
Pintas & Mullins Law Firm represents victims of sexual assault who seek to recover compensation for the physical, emotional, and financial damages they had endured. We believe the women and girls who suffered sexual abuse by Epstein unequivocally deserved to recover losses. We have been able to put our knowledge to use in a wide variety of abuse cases in pursuit of justice through the Epstein Victims’ Compensation Fund.
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Criminal and Civil Actions Against the Perpetrator
Criminal law generally rates rape and sexual assault as felonies. If convicted, the perpetrator will face a range of possible penalties, from fines to life imprisonment, depending on the nature of the offense.
Victims can also name the attacker as a defendant in a personal injury lawsuit. This legal action gives the victim the means by which to seek compensation for the physical, economic, and psychological damages they sustained as a result of the sexual assault.
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Common Injuries from Sexual Assault
A victim of sexual assault may suffer physical injuries if the attacker used physical force in the assault. However, injuries from this experience extends far beyond the immediate bodily harm of the incident.
RAINN identifies a broad range of effects of sexual violence that may affect the victim for long periods of time, if not a lifetime. They include:
- Self-injury
- Substance abuse
- Sexually transmitted infections
- Sleep disorders
- Panic attacks
- Pregnancy
- Eating disorders
- Dissociation
- Suicide
By filing a personal injury lawsuit against the perpetrator and/or the liable organization or institution that enabled the sexual assault, the victim can seek recovery of damages sustained from the attack. The recoverable amounts may include costs of medical treatment, loss of current or future potential income, and non-economic damages, like emotional stress, pain and suffering, and diminished enjoyment of life.
If you lost a loved one from the injuries they suffered from their sexual assault, you may also be eligible to pursue a wrongful death action. The legal team at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm can handle this action for you and do so with dignity and compassion.
We Fight for Compensation for Sexual Assault Victims
If you or a loved one suffered a sexual assault, you deserve to receive compensation.
The legal team at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm will represent you in this fight. We will take our legal fees from any settlement or award you receive, so you pay us nothing unless or until we win your case.
Sometimes, the liability for sexual assault extends beyond the attacker. Large institutions, like the church, and other organizations may bear responsibility. We are not intimidated by the size or social position of these defendants, and we do not shy away from tough cases. Let us help you in pursuit of the justice you deserve.
Call Pintas & Mullins Law Firm today for a free, no-obligation consultation.
Call or text (800) 219-9622 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
