Resources and Support for Sexual Abuse Survivors in California
One of the hallmarks of sexual abuse is that the target of the abuse often feels pressured not to talk about it. In some cases, the abuse happens at work, and the abused person hesitates to speak up for fear of losing his or her job. Minors are even more easily intimidated; abusers may threaten them not to tell their families. Even worse, their families may fail to report the abuse or tell the young victim not to speak about it, either because the families fear negative consequences for themselves or because they are in denial that sexual abuse could happen to their own child.
In cases where the abuser is a family member or someone else the parents trust, they might even think that their own child is lying and the abuser is telling the truth. Therefore, many sexual abuse survivors suffer in silence for years. It is never too late to rebuild your life after suffering from sexual abuse. Resources are available to help survivors of sexual abuse seek justice, including but not limited to representation by a Whittier sexual abuse claims lawyer.
Focusing on Your Health First
If you experienced sexual abuse decades ago, when you were a minor or a young adult, and you have never talked to anyone about how much it affected your life, you are not alone. The good news is that there is more awareness today of the effects of mental health on people’s physical health and even their financial well-being, and there are more mental health professionals currently practicing. Trying to find a mental health counselor who can meet with you regularly and accept payment through your health insurance can feel like a full-time job. The good news is that some counselors now offer their services through virtual meetings, and you can use apps to find a counselor who is best equipped to help you.
You can also find support groups for sexual abuse survivors in person or online. Some of these groups are specific to certain categories of survivors, such as people abused by family members, people abused by members of their church communities, and male survivors of sexual abuse.
If you have been diagnosed with clinical depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or another mental illness as a consequence of the abuse you suffered recently or when you were younger, you have the right to reasonable accommodations at work, pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act. Your formal request for accommodations does not contain any details about your medical history, and your employer is legally required to negotiate with you to find an accommodation that is helpful to you and feasible for your employer, although it is not always feasible for employers to make every accommodation that employees request. An employment discrimination lawyer can help you resolve disputes with your employer over disability accommodations related to your history of sexual abuse.
Legal Remedies for Sexual Abuse Survivors
It is probably not too late to seek legal remedies, either. Survivors of sexual abuse have the right to file civil lawsuits against the parties responsible for the abuse, such as the abuser himself or herself or the abuser’s employer. For example, if the abuser was an employee at a school where you were a student, the school district might be a defendant in the lawsuit. If the abuse occurred before 2024, you have the right to file a civil lawsuit anytime before your 40th birthday. Incidents of abuse of minors occurring in or after 2024 have no statute of limitations for civil lawsuits.
A sexual abuse lawsuit is a lot like a personal injury lawsuit. You must prove that the abuse occurred and that it caused you to suffer financial losses. You may request compensatory damages for medical expenses and lost income that you incurred as a result of the abuse. If someone who abused you or conspired to allow the abuse to occur received a criminal conviction because of it, you are automatically entitled to a ruling in your favor in the civil case. If the abuser pleaded no contest, was acquitted, or was never tried or charged, you may still be able to prevail in the civil lawsuit.
Contact the Law Offices of Omar Gastelum About Sexual Abuse Claims
A sexual abuse claims attorney can help you seek justice after sexual abuse. Contact the Law Offices of Omar Gastelum and Associates APLC in Whittier, California, to set up a consultation.
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A Whittier sexual abuse claims lawyer can help you file a sexual abuse lawsuit in civil court, even if the abuse happened many years ago.