Child sexual abuse is a serious crime that affects many lives. If you or a family member is a victim of molestation or sexual assault, it is important to know what you can do about it. You may be able to sue someone responsible for harming you and your loved ones.
Garden State Justice Group are dedicated to helping those who have suffered physical, mental, emotional, and financial harm due to sexual abuse or sexual assault. Our legal team understands how devastating such crimes can be, and we help clients pursue justice against perpetrators. We offer free consultations and work tirelessly to ensure that our clients receive compensation for injuries sustained during childhood assaults under New Jersey law.
For more information about our sexual assault and sexual abuse law firm, please call our experienced attorneys today.
Sexual abuse is the illegal use of force, threats or intimidation to sexually abuse someone in New Jersey. It may include touching or other physical contact, verbal abuse, threats, non-consensual sex, sodomy, rape, and molestation. It can happen to a student or teacher, but it’s usually perpetrated by a staff member. If you were sexually abused in a boarding school, you may have a claim against the institution or the individual who committed the act.
If you or someone you know was sexually abused or assaulted by a school employee like the principal or teacher, the first thing you must do is tell someone you trust. You don’t have to go into detail; just let them know what happened. Your story could be very helpful to New Jersey law enforcement officials investigating the situation.
Many people believe that telling anyone about the abuse can make things worse for the sexual abuse victims. However, there are many reasons why speaking up might actually help the abuse cases.
You may feel embarrassed or ashamed because the person who hurt you is someone you knew well. But remember that no one deserves to be victimized. And if you decide to file a civil lawsuit in New Jersey, you may not have to reveal anything about the incident. Even if you choose to remain anonymous, you may still seek compensation.
In recent years, there has been growing awareness among parents and school administrators regarding sexual abuse and sexual assault in boarding schools. As students are separated from their parents and placed into institutions like these, it becomes harder for parents to know whether something is wrong. Parents may not notice changes in behavior and may not realize that their child is being sexually assaulted.
Parents often find out about the abuse only when the victim tells them directly or when they see evidence of physical injury. Even if the parent suspects sexual abuse, it might take months or even years to discover the truth. During that time, the perpetrator could continue abusing the student.
The isolation of boarding schools makes it easier for perpetrators to commit crimes against students because they don't have to worry about witnesses or getting caught. In addition, some schools do not report suspected cases of abuse to the criminal justice system. This allows abusers to remain undetected.
Boarding schools are not required to notify police or Child Protective Services when a crime occurs, unless the incident involves harm to another person. If an incident does involve harm to another person, the school must notify law enforcement and CPS within 24 hours. However, many schools fail to comply with this requirement.
The United States has more than 3,500 boarding schools across the nation. Most of these schools are located in New England and the Mid-Atlantic region, including Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and New York. These schools are often referred to as "prep schools," meaning they offer a rigorous curriculum and prepare students for Ivy League colleges.
While residential schools may seem like something of the past to many, boarding schools today are still seen as elite prep schools where children attend classes seven days a week and receive a high level of academic education.
However, while the goal of these schools is to help young people succeed academically, many of them have been the subject of allegations of sexual abuse against both faculty members and students.
In recent years, there have been several lawsuits filed alleging that these boarding schools enabled an abusive environment to flourish within the walls of their campuses. In fact, one lawsuit specifically alleged that the New Jersey school had fostered an atmosphere of sexual abuse and sexual assault among students.
Many of these lawsuits have focused primarily on sexual abuse committed by teachers, administrators, and other staff. However, others have focused on sexual abuse committed by fellow students, who were able to commit such acts due to the lack of supervision at these institutions.
Some of the oldest and most prestigious boarding schools have found themselves being sued over allegations of sexual assault and sexual abuse. One example is Phillips Academy Andover, a highly selective boarding school in Andover, Massachusetts. This school has long prided itself on providing a safe and supportive environment for its students.
However, in 2009, the school became embroiled in a major scandal involving allegations of sexual abuse. At least six former students claimed that they were abused sexually by employees at the school.
Many of the most common signs of sexual abuse may also have other explanations, such as parental abuse or bullying at school. These are often overlooked because children don’t talk about what happens at home.
For example, parents might notice that their child suddenly drops out of sports or music classes, or starts sleeping later in the morning. They might think that the child is simply tired. However, this could indicate that he or she is experiencing stress at home. If you suspect that your child is being sexually abused, it is essential to seek help immediately.
The following are some of the most common signs found in childhood sexual abuse and sexual assault cases.
The deadline to file civil lawsuits for sexual assault or sexual abuse cases varies widely across the United States. In some states, such as California, child victims must file suit within three years of the date of the alleged incident. However, in other states, like New York, there is no statute of limitations for cases involving children under 18. This discrepancy makes it difficult to determine exactly how long you have to sue someone for boarding school abuse.
In most instances, states set deadlines for filing civil complaints based on the age of the abuse survivors. For example, if a minor was sexually abused while attending a school in his or her home state, the victim would likely have up to 10 years from the date of the incident to get legal representation and bring a claim to the supreme court. If the victim attended another location, the clock starts ticking again.
However, there are exceptions. Some states extend the deadline for certain types of crimes. For instance, Florida allows victims of sexual abuse to file claims within five years of the offense. Other states allow victims to pursue criminal charges even if they miss the deadline for civil suits.
If you believe that you've been wronged by a boarding school, contact New Jersey sex abuse attorneys immediately. You'll want to make sure that you're able to take advantage of any applicable extensions and learn about the statute of limitations depending on what state you are in.
If you believe that you were a victim of boarding school abuse, you may be entitled to financial compensation. However, filing a lawsuit against the school could cost thousands of dollars in legal costs. If you don’t want to spend money up front, you may qualify for a contingency fee agreement. This allows you to file a lawsuit without having to pay legal fees upfront.
To determine whether you qualify for a contingency fee arrangement, talk to our personal injury law firm now and schedule your free consultation. They will review your situation and let you know how much it might cost to pursue your claims in the state of New Jersey.
New Jersey’s new statute on sex abuse makes it illegal to “engage in, attempt to engage in, solicit another to engage in, or arrange for the engagement of a person in a sexual act with another person.” It also creates a civil cause of action for such conduct. The law applies to both public and private schools and it provides criminal penalties as well.
At Garden State Justice Group, we have the experience and resources to help victims of sex abuse obtain justice. We have successfully litigated sex abuse cases on behalf of victims in the past. We understand the unique challenges faced by victims and we know how to help them navigate the legal system.
Our law firm has helped many students and former students who were abused at school. In the past, we have represented students who were sexually assaulted and abused at a school. Our law firm is here to help you.
We know that a school board can sometimes be a hard target to hit. However, our law firm has the resources and experience to help you in this situation. We have worked on cases where the perpetrator was a school employee and a school administrator. In such situations, we have handled the entire legal process from the time of the incident until the resolution of the case.
In New Jersey, you have the right to sue a school for damages if you were sexually assaulted or abused. This is not the same as suing the school for negligence. In order to prevail in a case against a school, you must prove that the school knew or should have known about the dangerous situation and failed to take steps to protect you. You also must prove that the school’s response to your complaints was inadequate within reasonable doubt.
If you believe that your school has been negligent in the handling of a complaint of sex abuse, you have the right to make a civil claim for monetary damages. Our law firm has the resources and expertise to help you in seeking justice in this situation.
