Sexual Abuse Civil Lawsuit

Why File a Sexual Abuse Lawsuit?

Sadly, you may not be the only person who was hurt by your abuser. If it happened to you, it could have happened to others as well.

By filing a sexual abuse civil lawsuit, you may be able to hold the individual or institution that caused you harm accountable — and prevent others from being harmed by them as well.

A sexual abuse civil lawsuit may also result in financial compensation to help address the many ways that an assault may have disrupted your life.

Compensation can be sought to address costs related to: 

• Counseling or therapy
• Lost wages from missed work
• Medical bills
• Mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, and PTSD
• Other physical, emotional, or financial impacts of trauma

While money cannot erase your experience, it may serve as a step toward closure and accountability.

Criminal vs. Civil Sexual Abuse Lawsuits

It is important to note that filing a sexual abuse civil lawsuit is different than a criminal lawsuit.

In a criminal sexual abuse lawsuit, the state presses charges against the defendant (the person accused of committing the crime) and brings the case to court. A guilty plea or verdict can result in criminal charges against the defendant, like probation or prison time.

A sexual abuse civil lawsuit can be pursued by the plaintiff (you and your legal team) — regardless of the outcome or existence of a criminal trial.

While these sexual abuse civil cases don’t result in a criminal record, they can award financial compensation to the victim and their family that can help with their healing.

Types of Sexual Abuse (SA) Cases

Individual perpetrators often commit assaults in spaces where they feel as though they have power and security.

If an institution or organization fails to protect its community members from an abuser, the institution may also be legally responsible for any abuse that took place.

Examples of SA Cases

• Abuse at Spas or Resorts: Massage therapists may take advantage of a customer during a session, and their employers might try to dismiss the allegations or attempt to cover up the abuse.
• Abuse in Schools or Sports: School administrations may fail to properly screen new staff before hiring them — or may protect coaches, teachers, and other staff members after abuse is reported.
• Abuse on Cruise Ships and Airlines: During a flight, assaults can happen when a passenger is sleeping next to a stranger; while on cruise ships, unsupervised children are particularly at risk. There may not be access to law enforcement or staff members equipped to handle the situation.
• Boy Scouts Abuse: Over 80,000 sexual assault lawsuits have been filed against the Boy Scouts of America by survivors who claim they were abused by scout leaders as children.
• Clergy Abuse: Sex abuse scandals in churches and other religious institutions can stem from a failure to punish known sexual predators — like priests or clergy members — in their organizations.
• Exploitation on Social Media: Children and teens, especially those with a social media addiction, are at risk of being exploited by predators they meet through online games and apps.
• Foster Care Abuse: Foster homes are meant to provide children with a safe place to live, but many kids in foster care have experienced abuse by a foster parent or other resident in the home.
• High-Profile Abusers: Film companies, record labels, and other organizations may attempt to silence victims and protect known abusers like Harvey Weinstein or Bill Cosby.
• Hotel or Motel Abuse: Abuse can occur when staff members use access cards to enter a guest's room without permission or when the front desk issues room keys to unauthorized individuals.
• Medical Sexual Abuse: Some medical professionals, like Dr. Derrick Todd, have been accused of performing unnecessary and invasive exams or procedures, taking advantage of a patient's trust and their potentially limited knowledge of what constitutes legitimate medical treatment.
• Nursing Home Abuse: Beyond physical injury or neglect, nursing homes may also fail to protect seniors from sexual assaults by staff or other residents.
• Rideshare Vehicles: Sadly, rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft may not provide thorough screening of their drivers, potentially putting passengers at risk of assault during rides.
• Police and Prison Abuse: Police officers and prison personnel may use their positions of authority to commit abuse. Inmates may be assaulted by both staff and other detainees but have a limited ability to report or escape the abuse.
• Sex Trafficking: Each year, thousands of people in the U.S. are forced to perform sexual acts against their will and are exploited by traffickers for money.
• Sexual Abuse in the Entertainment Industry: Powerful figures in the music, film, and TV industries may use their influence to coerce aspiring artists into sexual acts, often threatening to harm their careers if they resist or speak out — one of the allegations against Sean 'Diddy' Combs.
• Summer Camp Abuse: At summer camps or wilderness therapy camps, children are often away from home and have limited contact with trusted adults. Camps may fail to properly vet staff members who often have unsupervised access to campers, increasing the risk of abuse.
• Workplace Abuse: Companies or employers may not address a situation related to sexual misconduct by a colleague or supervisor in a swift and adequate manner.

Sean 'Diddy' Combs Lawsuit for Sexual Assault

Rapper Sean Combs, also known as P. Diddy, has been accused of sexual assault by over 120 men and women. Multiple survivors were minors at the time of the alleged assaults.

Lawsuits against Sean Combs claim he: 

• Hosted parties in Los Angeles, New York, and Miami, where many of the assaults took place
• Drugged certain individuals before assaulting them
• Engaged in sex trafficking
• Recorded the abuse and shared these videos with others
• Used his celebrity influence to manipulate and intimidate victims

Some of the allegations of sexual assault against Combs date back to the early 1990s, showing a troubling pattern of behavior that has persisted over decades.

As many brave survivors come forward to share their experiences, our team is here to support those affected by sexual violence. Call (800) 995-1212 to see if we can help you seek justice.

What Do Attorneys for SA Victims Do?

While criminal lawsuits aim to punish the wrongdoer, sexual abuse civil lawsuits seek compensation for the survivors, victims, and their families while still holding the perpetrator accountable for their actions.

Our experienced sexual abuse lawyers may be able to: 

• Stand up for the victims of sexual assault and abuse
• Act as a guide through the legal process so survivors can focus on their healing
• File the sexual abuse civil lawsuit within any deadlines
• Pursue compensation that can help survivors and families find closure moving forward

You should not have to navigate this difficult time alone. We have female Case Managers on staff who can listen to your story and speak with you about your experience.

Hold Individuals and Institutions Accountable

Often time, sexual predators are trusted, well-respected members of the community. Their position within society may enable them to carry out individual or wide-scale instances of abuse.

With civil lawsuits, survivors may be able to sue both the individual abuser and any institution — like the church, school, or nursing home — that enabled or protected the abuser.

Negligent behaviors — like ignoring credible reports of misconduct, not properly screening employees upon hiring, intentionally silencing a survivor, or working to disrupt an investigation — are all ways that institutions and organizations may fail to keep their community safe while shielding a sexual predator.

Pursue Compensation for Victims of Sexual Abuse

Filing a civil lawsuit is one way to pursue sexual abuse compensation. Our experienced sexual abuse attorneys are prepared to stand up to the individual or institution that caused you harm and work toward recovering the payment that you deserve.

Financial compensation from a sexual abuse lawsuit can help alleviate the burden of physical, psychological, and financial damages suffered as a result of the abuse.

Let us fight for you. Our attorneys are compassionate toward survivors — and relentless in our pursuit of compensation on their behalf.

Our Sexual Abuse Attorneys Are Here to Help

As a national sexual abuse law firm, Sokolove Law has helped injured clients and their families hold the individuals and institutions that hurt them accountable for over 45 years.

Our sexual abuse attorneys are committed to helping victims of sexual assault or abuse across the country access the legal system and pursue compensation from a lawsuit.

You can also speak with female Case Managers on our team, as they are available to address any questions or concerns that you may have.

If you or a loved one experienced some form of sexual abuse or assault, call (800) 995-1212 today to see if we may be able to help you too.