Sexual Predators Posing as Uber and Lyft Drivers

In January of last year, a woman got into what she believed was an Uber outside a Hollywood nightclub. Instead, her evening turned into a nightmare as she had unwittingly entered the vehicle of a rapist posing as an Uber driver, who took her to a secluded area and assaulted her. Nicolas Morales, 44, was…

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Upcoming HBSAOC Forum: Stop Sexual Predators—Force Change, Right Now

The Harvard Business School Association of Orange County (HBSAOC) plans to hold a forum on fighting sexual predators on Thursday, May 10, 2018, entitled “Stop Sexual Predators—Force Change, Right Now.” The forum, focused on practical solutions and actionable change, will feature a multi-speaker panel with all proceeds going toward rape crisis centers and support for…

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Hats Off to Christy Heiskala, Child Abuse Victim Advocate

We’re dedicating today’s blog to our former client—and super mom—turned victim advocate Christy Heiskala. Words can’t express how proud we are of her for all the work she’s doing to prevent child abuse and molestation. But we’ll try. After an incident in 2007 when Christy’s daughter came home from elementary school and told her mother…

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Creating Your Own Car Emergency Kit

No matter how well you take care of your vehicle, you can’t predict when car trouble might happen. Breakdowns or flat tires can happen at any time, as can car accidents. And, here in California, there’s always the possibility of Mother Nature throwing us a curveball with the threat of wildfires, mudslides, or earthquakes. Our…

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Lawyers release Lucia Mar school bus video in lawsuit alleging driver molested 9-year-old

Video released Tuesday appears to show a Lucia Mar Unified School District bus driver molesting a 9-year-old girl while on his route, lawyers for the girl’s family says. The security camera footage was shown during a press conference introducing a lawsuit being brought by the girl’s guardians against the school district and the County Department of Education.…

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DeVos’s Controversial Comments on Campus Sexual Assault

Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos made headlines after some controversial comments on a March 11 appearance on CBS’s “60 Minutes.” During a discussion about her department’s changes on how colleges should report sexual assaults, she appeared to suggest that the number of false accusations was equal to the number of actual, real assaults. When host…

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Causes and Impacts of Burn Injuries

Burns are among the most painful and disfiguring injuries a person can suffer. They are also difficult and expensive to treat. A victim of a serious burn injury should unfortunately anticipate a long and tough road to recovery. Fortunately, however, with current medical advances, there is more hope than there used to be. New methods…

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California Lawmakers Fight to End Rape Kit Backlog

With more than 10,000 rape kits sitting untested in California, lawmakers have introduced a bill that will address the backlog and ensure future kits will be tested in a timely manner. Senator Connie M. Leyva (D-Chino) introduced legislation in late February that would require law enforcement and forensic labs to more promptly test rape kit…

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Facebook Defends its Use of Forced Arbitration

Recent attention and media coverage relating to the #MeToo movement has lawmakers drafting new legislation to protect victims against sexual harassments in the workplace. A bipartisan bill aims to end forced arbitration used to resolve workplace disputes regarding sexual harassment. The “Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Harassment Act of 2017,” although introduced last December, is…

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Sexual Harassment and Wrongful Termination: What You Need to Know

Excluding issues involving employer harassment, discrimination, retaliation, or other unlawful conduct, California operates as an “at will” state. This means that under California law, unless you have a contract with your employer, the employer can terminate you at any time, without warning, and for any reason. This also gives you the right to leave your…

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Catastrophic Injuries from Motorcycle Crashes

Those who love to ride motorcycles will tell you about the thrill and exhilaration they feel when hitting the open road, especially when the weather is beautiful. Motorcycle owners are among the most enthusiastic motorists on the road in terms of the passion they have for their vehicles. However, motorcycle accidents are something that riders…

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The Often Fatal Consequences of Speeding and Reckless Driving

Most drivers understand the concept that speeding-while-driving has the potential to reap disastrous results. Although speeding and reckless driving may only result in receiving a traffic violation ticket, it can also end much more tragically, with life-changing injuries and even death as the consequence. The recent tragedy of a famous couple In the early morning…

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Car Crashes into Building – on the Second Floor

In a story that might make you say, “Only in California,” police were recently called to the scene of a car accident where a sedan had driven into the side of a building. On the second floor. The car was actually embedded into the side of the building, like something out of an action movie.…

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What To Do After a Car Accident in California

Car accidents can be very nerve-racking events. You do everything you can to avoid them, but sometimes they still occur. But the more prepared you are, the less hectic the entire experience can be. Because accidents happen so quickly, it’s easy to forget the right steps to take. However, it’s important to be prepared—for your…

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New Law Requires Sexual Assault Education in California Schools

One of the most reprehensible and horrific crimes is the sexual exploitation of children. Sexual assault is any kind of non-consensual sexual activity, and it can range from subtle to violent. Types of sexual crimes against children can include rape, sexual threats and intimidation, incest, assault by partners, human trafficking, harassment, street harassment and other…

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