Experiencing sexual assault is a traumatic and life altering event. Oftentimes, sexual assault occurs in places that are supposed to be safe. Likewise, many victims state that they knew their abuser before the assault. When a sexual assault occurs in a school and to a child, there may be a much larger problem at hand.
In 2022, the Children’s Bureau from the Department of Health and Human Services reported that at least 9.2% of children were sexually assaulted. However, there are very few definitive statistics that reveal the true number of child sexual assaults due to the lack in reporting of these experiences. In most cases, children are too young or traumatized to understand that they are being sexually assaulted.
Signs of Child Sexual Abuse
- New and strange fears
- Increased anxiety
- Bedwetting
- Sudden maturity regression
- Compulsive bad behavior
- Falling behind in school
Legal Rights
Filing a Claim
An official criminal report or case is not required to file a claim and pursue damages in civil court. However, a criminal guilty verdict will enhance the chances of actually recovering in a civil lawsuit.
You can file a claim in civil court while you are waiting for a criminal verdict. The burden of proof is lower in civil court and victims are more likely to recover in civil cases, opposed to criminal cases.
- In criminal court, the burden of proof requires that the defendant committed the crime “beyond a reasonable doubt,” and all 12 jurors need to make a unanimous decision
- In civil court, the burden of proof requires that the defendant “more than likely” committed the crime, and only 9 of 12 jurors must agree
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