Sexual assault is a major problem in the United States, something that we see in the headlines just about every single day. We see stories of celebrities, politicians, and athletes who have committed sexual assault, but we want to stress that we understand sexual assault can happen to anyone.
Soloff & Zervanos, P.C. has the experience you need to pursue the perpetrator of your sexual assault in a civil case. We will investigate what happened and move to secure the compensation you deserve. When you need a Bronx sexual assault attorney, call us today.
The Traumatic Stats
The US Department of Justice describes sexual assault as any form of non-consensual sexual behavior or contact. This can include penetration, fondling, rape, unwanted touching, attempted rape, or intrusion with objects. In New York, sexual assault is prosecutable under Penal Code Sections 130.52 – 130.70, entitled Forcible Touching and Sexual Abuse Offenses.
While most people think it will never happen to them, the truth is that anyone is subject to become the victim of a sexually-based crime. While women and children are particularly vulnerable, men are also victimized.
The numbers regarding sex crimes underscore the fact that these criminal offenses can and do occur with frequency across the nation. The statistics surrounding sexual assault are startling, to say the least.
- Sexual assault occurs in America every 68 seconds.
- A child is sexually assaulted every 9 minutes in this country.
- There are more than 60,000 substantiated cases of sex abuse in America every year.
- From 1998 through the present day, approximately 17.7 million women and 2.79 million men have been raped, although the numbers can be much higher since many victims fail to report the crime.
- Among victims aged 12 and older, there are 433,000+ rapes and sexual assaults each year.
Before we discuss where sexual assaults happen, we need to give you some numbers for perspective. The National Sexual Violence Resource Center tells us that one in five women and one in 71 men will be raped during their lifetime.
- In around 8 out of 10 cases of rape, the victim knew the perpetrator.
This defeats the myth that sexual assaults are perpetrated by strangers. That is rarely the case. Sexual assault and rape happen every day in the following places:
- Universities: anyone attending a college or university has the right to be protected from campus sexual assault. However, we know many schools have a “rape culture.”
- Healthcare facilities: these are places where people are vulnerable (doctor’s offices, hospitals, nursing homes, etc.). Nobody should ever have to worry about an assault by healthcare professionals.
- Workplace: perpetrators of workplace sexual abuse can include coworkers, supervisors, clients, customers, and more.
- Property of others: if a sexual assault occurs on the property of another person, your attorney may be able to pursue them for negligence if they failed to take steps to keep you safe.
We also know that, in many cases of sexual abuse, the perpetrator is a close friend, an intimate partner, or even a spouse.
- Yes, even an intimate sexual partner can commit sexual abuse if there is no consent.
The effects of sexual assault can last a lifetime and lead to years of necessary counseling. Many victims of sexual assault and rape suffer from emotional and psychological problems and have problems forming healthy sexual relationships.
Past Sexual Assaults
Everyone heals differently following a sexual assault, and some victims are unable—for whatever reasons—to accuse the perpetrator in the immediate days, weeks, months, or even years following the attack. If you were a sexual assault victim who failed to come forward to face your accuser in the past, it may not be too late. New York’s Child Victim’s Act, which came into law in 2019, allows victims of sexual assault a longer period of time to report their accusers.
One of the most important facets of this law is that it gives victims an additional five years to report crimes of sexual assault, sexual abuse, rape, and molestation. In addition, The Child Victim’s Act:
- Gives victims up to the age of 55 to seek out civil penalties against the abusers who harmed them.
- Provides child sexual crimes victims until age 25 to report misdemeanor sex crimes and age 28 to report felony sex crimes.
- Eliminates the need to give notice of claim to private and public institutions named as culpable in the perpetrator’s crimes.
- Allows claims against both private and public institutions. This includes religious institutions, youth organizations, schools, and educational institutions, and health care organizations, such as medical offices, clinics, rehabilitation facilities, and hospitals.
What You Can Do Now
The effects of sexual assault are more than just physical wounds. The deep emotion and psychological trauma most victims experience can last a lifetime. Soloff & Zervanos, P.C. is ready to help if you or a loved one have been sexually assaulted. We want to secure the compensation you deserve. This can include:
- Pain and suffering damages
- Lost wages and benefits
- Loss of earning capacity
- Compensation for needed counseling
- Punitive damages against those responsible
Our Bronx sexual assault attorney understands that no amount of money can ever compensate you for the event that you have experienced. However, holding your abuser accountable can help you find a sense of closure to such a harrowing ordeal. It also penalizes the offender, even in cases where the criminal courts did not act or where the victim fails to report the crime in a timely fashion. And importantly, holding the perpetrator to account financially also deters repeat offenses and draws attention to the nature of the offender, with the hope that no one else must experience abuse at the perpetrator’s hands.
If your case was covered up by another person, institution, or entity, we want to hold them accountable as well. When you need a Bronx sexual assault attorney, you can contact us for a free consultation by clicking here or calling us at 215-929-7216.