Los Angeles Sexual Abuse Lawyer

SIGNS OF SEXUAL ABUSE

Many people, especially children, do not admit to being the victim of sexual abuse or even do not believe they are victims at all. Rather, they will display emotional, behavioral, and physical changes that may appear out of character to those who know them.

Common emotional signs of sexual abuse include:

• Depression such as constant crying, low self-esteem, withdrawal, or suicidal thoughts
• Severe anxiety such as clinging or nightmares
• Severe anger such as unmitigated aggression, tantrums, or increased irritability

Common behavioral signs of sexual abuse include:

• Sudden behavioral changes
• Changes in grades, schoolwork, or focus in academics
• Unexplained fears of specific places and types of people
• Fear of spending time alone with a specific individual
• Fear of being touched
• Reverting to activities and tasks performed when they were younger
• Delinquency
• Substance abuse
• Self-harm such as self-mutilation or unexplained recklessness
• Excessively playing with their own private parts
• Engaging in sex play with toys, friends, and pets
• Creating drawings that depict sexual acts
• Inappropriate and unusual questions regarding sex

Common physical signs of sexual abuse include:

• Issues sitting or walking
• Rectal bleeding
• Physical pain or itchiness in their private areas
• Blood stains or other forms of discharge found on undergarments
• Wetting their clothes or the bed
• Sleeping issues
• Eating less or more than usual
• Stomachaches

DAMAGES IN A SEXUAL ABUSE CASE

If a plaintiff proves a defendant is liable for sexual abuse in a civil case, they are entitled to the same damages that are available to personal injury victims. The three types of damages include economic, noneconomic, and punitive damages.

Economic damages entail tangible losses caused by the sexual abuse. Common examples include past and future medical expenses, ongoing psychiatric care, and lost wages due to the inability to work or perform their job.

Noneconomic damages consist of the types of harm the victim suffered and will continue to suffer as the result of sexual abuse. Common examples include pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment in life, and loss of consortium.

Punitive damages are only available if the defendant maliciously and intentionally causes harm. The main purpose of such damages is to punish the defendant for their actions and deter similar conduct by making an example out of the defendant.

Common types of sexual abuse include:

• Forced penetration without consent
• Forced sexual touching
• Unwanted oral sex
• Forcing another person to view pornographic materials
• Taking and/or distributing sexual images without consent
• Exposing private parts to another individual or forcing someone to expose themselves
• Making unwanted sexual requests

In order to prove sexual abuse in civil court, the plaintiff and their Los Angeles lawyer must show that it is more likely than not that the perpetrator committed the alleged abuse, which is lower burden proof compared to criminal court. The plaintiff can bring in evidence from a criminal case to use as evidence in a civil case, according to the “collateral estoppel” rule. Even if there weren’t any criminal charges filed, a plaintiff can still bring a civil case.

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