Sexual abuse or assault can impact the survivor for the rest of their lives. From physical injuries to emotional and psychological ones, the victims of sexual abuse will have a lot to overcome. Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers is dedicated to helping survivors of sexual violence in Connecticut reclaim their lives and navigate through the criminal or civil justice system.
We understand what it takes to prove sexual assault or abuse happened and will work tirelessly to protect your rights, in and out of court. Having handled many sexual assault cases, we are a trusted law firm throughout Connecticut and the rest of the country.
WE ARE ONLY ACCEPTING SEXUAL ABUSE CASES INVOLVING INSTITUTIONS.
Table of Contents
IF YOU HAVE A MATTER INVOLVING A RELATIVE OR ACQUAINTANCE, PLEASE CONTACT YOUR LOCAL BAR ASSOCIATION
Why Choose Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers
When it comes to filing a criminal or civil claim, you need a sexual assault and abuse attorney in your corner. At Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, we represent victims of adult or childhood sexual abuse, securing the highest possible compensation for these survivors. We understand the profound impact of these cases, and our compassionate legal team has a proven history of representing victims and achieving substantial settlements and verdicts.
| $21 Million Hotel sexual assault case | $15 Million Coach grooming and abuse | $6.5 Million Cruise ship rape settlement |
| $6.3 Million Negligent security assault | $6 Million Child sexual abuse lawsuit | $5 Million Therapist sexual abuse settlement |
We thoroughly investigate every claim, ensuring that all medical expenses, therapy costs, lost wages, and emotional distress are fully compensated. With our deep expertise in sexual abuse cases, our legal team will stand by you every step of the way, fighting relentlessly to bring your abuser to justice and support your journey to healing.
Understanding Sexual Abuse and Assault
Not everyone fully understands what constitutes sexual abuse and assault. Most people understand that rape falls under these crimes, but there’s more to it than that. Sexual abuse and assault have one main thing in common: lack of consent.
Consent is permission for whatever sexual act is happening to continue happening. It must be verbal, enthusiastically given, and ongoing to be considered legitimate. Many people don’t understand that consent can be revoked at any time.
Another component of sex crimes is a power imbalance. In many cases where sexual abuse occurs, there’s some sort of power imbalance between the perpetrator and the victim. Whether this is an adult and child, employer and employee, or another dynamic, these people will use sexual intercourse or other sex acts to manipulate the victim.
Common Forms of Sexual Abuse
Understanding the different crimes that make up sexual abuse or assault is beneficial so you know how to know when it’s happening. Common forms of sexual abuse and assault include:
- Childhood Sexual Abuse: Any sexual acts or behavior involving an adult and someone under the age of 18.
- Statutory Rape: Sexual acts between an adult and someone who cannot legally consent to the sexual acts.
- Rape: Non-consensual intercourse of any kind with anyone, usually involving force of some kind.
- Sexual Harassment: Unwanted comments or touching that are sexual in nature.
- Incest: Sexual acts between family members, usually between an adult in a position of power and a child.
- Digital Sexual Exploitation: Sharing photos and videos of someone in an intimate setting without their knowledge or consent.
- Voyeurism: Watching someone undress or participate in sexual acts without them knowing.
- Clergy Sexual Abuse: Sexual abuse is committed in the catholic church or by clergy members, often exploiting their position of authority and trust within the community.
Institutions Where Sexual Abuse Is Most Likely to Occur
Sexual abuse and assault can happen anywhere, and Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers is prepared to handle your case regardless of where the assault happened. We’ve tackled cases where sexual abuse occurred, including in the following institutions.
Workplace
We’ve handled plenty of cases where a coworker or boss was sexually harassing or abusing their employees. Whatever the circumstances, we’ll be ready to protect your rights.
Inpatient Treatment Facilities
If you or a loved one has been sexually abused while in an inpatient treatment facility, we’ll help defend you against the institution and the person responsible.
Prisons and Correctional Facilities
Many inmates within our prison and juvenile system have been sexually violated. We’ll work to protect your rights and prevent the other inmates or correctional officers from committing that crime again.
Foster Care
Children in foster care are unfortunately put in positions where sexual assault and abuse can happen and be swept under the rug. We’ll help bring whoever harmed these children to justice.
Daycare Facilities
Similar to foster care, any child who has faced childhood molestation while at their daycare facility will have us in their corner to seek a settlement from the institution and perpetrator.
Educational Institutions
Sexual assault and abuse at educational institutions shouldn’t happen, but when they do, we’ll build a strong case and seek justice for what happened to you while on campus.
Religious Institutions
We’ll work to bring clergy members who abuse those within their church or any other religious institution that is sexually assaulting its members.
Nursing Homes
We’ll help protect the elderly from elder sexual abuse by holding those accountable for their actions.
Sports Clubs
Any athlete who’s been sexually assaulted or abused by their coaches, team doctors, or teammates can rely on us to build a strong case and protect their rights.
Military Institutions
Even though the military likes to handle crimes internally, we’ll still work to build a case for military members who have been sexually abused or assaulted while serving our country.
Hotels and Short-Term Rentals
Hotels and short-term rentals are seeing a rise in sexual assault and abuse cases, and we’ll be there to hold not only the perpetrator responsible but the hotel staff or short-term rental owners if necessary.
Shelters
Anyone staying in a shelter is there so they can stay safe, so when sexual assault or abuse happens to them, it’s much more devastating to the survivor. We handle these cases with the care they deserve.
Steps to Take If You Are a Victim of Sexual Assault
If you’ve been sexually assaulted or dealing with sexual abuse and are ready to come forward, there are some steps you should take immediately after the attack:
- Find somewhere safe for you to go that’s away from your abuser.
- Seek medical treatment, regardless of whether you have visible injuries or not.
- Call your local Connecticut law enforcement agency to report the sexual abuse or assault.
- Think about asking for a rape kit to preserve DNA evidence because it can strengthen your case when you’re ready to file a lawsuit.
- Contact people you trust for support and seek help from local resources, such as the Connecticut Alliance to End Sexual Violence.
- Reach out to a trusted sexual abuse attorney who can handle your case with the care it deserves.
Compensation for Sexual Abuse Victims
There’s not enough money to compensate for what happened to you, but seeking financial compensation can still be helpful. Our attorneys will work to help you get the compensation you’re owed for what happened to you. Available compensation includes:
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Lost wages
- Medical and therapy expenses
- Emotional distress
- Pain and suffering
Every sexual assault and abuse case is a little different, so the amount that your settlement will be will vary depending on factors like:
- The duration of the abuse
- The strength of the evidence
- The overall impact on the survivor’s life
- The severity of the abuse or assault
Liability in Sexual Abuse Cases
Our attorneys will do our best to hold the perpetrator liable for what happened to you, but we can also hold the institution where the abuse or attack happened liable. Depending on the specifics of your case, institutions can be held responsible on grounds such as:
- Negligence or poor supervision
- Insufficient background checks
- Negligent retention, creating an environment where abuse can occur
- Failure to report incidents or adequately train employees
We can also utilize legal principles like vicarious liability to hold institutions accountable for their employees’ actions. We’ll also examine any power dynamics within religious communities or other organizations that may have enabled the abuse.
Additionally, under Title IX, educational institutions have specific obligations to protect students, and failure to meet these can lead to liability for sexual assault and abuse.
How to Prove a Sexual Abuse Case
Some cases of sexual assault or abuse are easy to prove, but not all of them. Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers has developed a comprehensive approach to proving a sexual abuse case, including:
- Gathering evidence of the abuse
- Establishing who is liable
- Demonstrating the connection between the abuse and the harm suffered
- Providing expert testimony
- Thoroughly investigating your claim
Our legal experts and investigators work diligently to build a compelling case, using every available resource to secure justice for you.
How Our Connecticut Sexual Abuse Lawyers Can Help
Hiring a sexual abuse lawyer might feel intimidating. Still, the team at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers strives to make the process as smooth as possible without compromising our work on proving your case. We can help survivors by:
- Providing you with a safe and confidential place to share your story
- Investigating your claim thoroughly
- Gathering as much evidence as possible
- Identifying all the liable parties
- Partnering with experts who will provide testimony on your behalf
- Handling all communications with opposing counsel
- Negotiating a fair settlement for you
The Time Limits for Filing a Claim in Connecticut
The statute of limitations for filing a civil claim following sexual abuse or assault in Connecticut depends on the age you were when the incident occurred. If the sexual abuse occurred after your 21st birthday, you have 20 years to file a claim.
For sex crimes committed while the survivor was under 21 years old, they have 30 years. Currently, there is no statute of limitations for reporting sexual abuse or assault if the survivor is still under 18 years old.
Contact a Connecticut Sexual Abuse Lawyer Today!
When you’re ready to bring your abuser to justice, Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers is ready to help you explore your legal options. We’ll investigate your claim and negotiate a fair settlement, considering what happened. We work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you don’t pay any legal fees unless we successfully secure compensation for you.
Contact us today at (888) 424-5757 for your free and confidential consultation, or fill out our online form.
All content undergoes thorough legal review by experienced attorneys, including Jonathan Rosenfeld. With 25 years of experience in personal injury law and over 100 years of combined legal expertise within our team, we ensure that every article is legally accurate, compliant, and reflects current legal standards.
