Sexual Abuse Attorney in Pasadena & Claremont
Child abuse is an umbrella term that refers to the endangerment, physical mistreatment, and/or sexual molestation of children. Child sexual abuse (CSA) refers specifically to the sexual abuse of children. Children are classified as people under the age of 18. The sexual abuse of children can have long-reaching effects, often resulting in trauma. If your child has been victimized, it is important that you speak with a skilled sexual abuse attorney. A determined Los Angeles region child sexual abuse lawyer could work tirelessly to achieve justice for your child and advocate for them.
Negligence in Child Sex Abuse Cases
Negligence is an important concept because when one looks at children being abused, one is not only looking at a crime or a bad action by the actual perpetrator but also those who are charged with protecting the child. If that is a school, a camp, a boy scout troop, any kind of club, or a church, those people who are charged with protecting the children can be liable for negligence if they do not fulfill their duty and the child as a result is abused.
What Happens Following a Report of Abuse?
If the state has not been informed and it is just the city that is involved in a child sex abuse case, the police will report to the pertinent agencies, investigations will occur, and hopefully, the allegations of abuse will start to be uncovered and investigated by the police and the agencies involved.
If somebody has been the target of physical abuse, whether sexual or otherwise, they can seek from the court in Los Angeles, Claremont, or Pasadena a temporary restraining order to basically restrict the perpetrator from coming into contact with the victim until a preliminary injunction hearing. Afterward, that person can ask a judge for a permanent restraining order that would keep the person away under consequence of arrest.
Consequences for Abusers
There are laws against abusing children in California and most jurisdictions around the country. If a person is abusive towards children and the abuse is sexual in nature, they can see consequences of charges brought against them for serious jail time and can be put on a register list on broad databases. There can be all kinds of restrictions as to where they can live, where they can work, what public areas they are allowed to congregate in, etc. So, there are severe consequences, not to mention the civil consequences if the victim decides to sue them for the injury as well.
If a person is convicted of a sex crime against a child, that person is put away in jail for a long time. They will be monitored and put on a registry so that they are restricted in where they can live, where they can work, accommodations they can access, what kind of people they could be around, etc., and that could be for a long, long time. Generally, if there is a conviction in a criminal case, it gives a lot of credence towards the civil case. A person and their Los Angeles county child sexual abuse lawyer could use a lot of the evidence that was used in the criminal case in the civil case, and that makes the investigation and prosecution of the civil case a lot smoother, easier, and quicker.
Damages in California Child Sexual Abuse Cases
The damages in a child sexual abuse case can range from things like hospital bills or psychiatry bills or inability to work to punitive damages. If someone was systematically abusing someone or even committed abuse just once and it is malicious and oppressive, then they can be subject to punitive damages as well. There are also, of course, damages for pain and suffering and for any physical injury. An experienced Los Angeles, Claremont, and Pasadena child sexual abuse lawyer could help an individual recover the damages that they deserve.
Importance of Contacting a LA County Child Abuse Lawyer
There are two real reasons to contact a Los Angeles County child sexual abuse lawyer. Firstly, an attorney could help you understand what has happened and help you determine what your next step should be. If your child has been victimized, that can be traumatic and difficult to process. A lawyer could serve as a resource and guide you through the legal process. The second reason to work with an attorney is that they could help you hold the responsible party accountable, and do what they can to ensure that other people are not subjected to abuse at the at-fault party’s hands. Speak with a compassionate and capable attorney that could fight for a positive outcome for you. Call the Law Offices of Scott Glovsky today.
