Sexual Abuse

The effects of sexual abuse are difficult and life changing. Not only do victims have to deal with the physical pain of these crimes, but they may also be left to deal with years of mental and emotional turmoil. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), victims of sexual abuse face substantial short- and…

On March 3, 2017, several U.S. senators proudly introduced legislation detailing requirements of amateur athletic organizations to report any suspicion or evidence of sexual abuse to local and/or federal authorities. This bill, called the Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse Act of 2017, is expressly a response to recent allegations of sexual abuse on the…

Sexual abuse and sexual assault in the clergy has been an ongoing problem for well over a century in the United States. Most notably found in the Catholic Church, no religious organization is exempt from sexual abuse controversies. California alone has been the subject of several scandals involving clergy sexual abuse. Although there has been…

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, which means you will see lots of teal ribbons adorning backpacks, clothing, and other spaces. This month is intended to raise awareness of the prevalence of sexual assault as well as to acknowledge and support the resiliency of assault survivors. Victims of sexual assault and abuse have to grapple…

Maybe this seems like a no-brainer: any teacher who is reported to have behaved inappropriately should immediately be suspended, pending an investigation. And if that investigation yields results that corroborate the student’s testimony, you might assume that teacher would immediately be fired, if not hauled off to jail. Unless your child attends Desert Sands Unified,…

Parents trust that the time children spend with religious leaders will uplift the children morally and spiritually, and provide a path for the values needed to be good members of their communities. Sadly, it is too clear from media coverage and court proceedings that some religious leaders are abusing this most sacred trust. Religious leaders…

Attorneys from the Taylor & Ring Law Firm are representing child molestation victims of Robert Keith Bryan, a long-time teacher with Desert Sands Unified School District. Bryan taught mostly fourth grade from the mid-1980s until he was arrested in 2011. Dave Ring is representing several students who are alleged victims of Bryan’s.  The litigation has…

We expect our schools to protect our children, and that expectation is reasonable. Students with special needs, however, may be afforded additional protections as well at the state or federal level; that, too, is reasonable. What we don’t expect is that teachers will not only ignore those protections, but act in a way that is…

It’s every parent’s nightmare: discovering that a teacher, coach, pastor or other trusted adult has preyed on your teen. Yet it happens far too often. According to the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics, 93 percent of juvenile sexual assault cases involve perpetrators who know the victim in some capacity. After hearing about another inexcusable instance…

One sentence in a recent media article refers to “unfettered access to young people.” That can assuredly be a good thing where, say, an impassioned teacher is searching for new talent to challenge and mold. In instances where clergy members are intent on committing acts of sexual abuse, though, it is obviously a disaster. We…