Sexual Assault

Do you think your child may be the victim of sexual abuse at the hands of someone you have trusted, such as a partner, family member, priest, neighbor, or even a teacher? While it is not always easy to get children to speak about things that are going on, especially if they are afraid of…

When you send your child to school, you expect them to learn in a comfortable, safe environment with teachers and support staff members who care about the success of each child. While this is true for the most part, some teachers or school staff members may use their power to gain control over others, including…

A company in Brooklyn has recently released a DIY rape kit, with the goal of enabling survivors to take and submit their own DNA samples. The MeToo Kits are supposedly designed to prevent victims from feeling like they are being victimized all over again. They are also a terrible idea. Rape is both physically and…

Bill Cosby, once a respected comedian, television actor, and public speaker, has since been sentenced to 3-10 years in prison for committing sexual offenses. In an era of Harvey Weinstein and Matt Lauer, or #MeToo and #WhyIDidntReport, it is easy to forget that Cosby’s crimes once dominated the headlines. Over and over again, we heard…

“Consent” is the agreement between two people to engage in whatever sexual behaviors they want. Theoretically and ethically, this is a simple thing. But the reality is that there are gray areas in the laws, and those shades of gray can make it incredibly difficult for victims of sexual assault to get the justice they…

The essence of a punitive damage claims is to punish someone who’s wrongs are unconscionable, so they don’t harm anyone else. The payment of punitive damages is paid to the injured plaintiff. A punitive damage claim in any type of case requires more than a showing of carelessness or negligence. In California, the defendant must…

NBC News reported on July 3, 2019 that a New Jersey judge’s decision that a 16-year-old boy who was accused of the rape of an intoxicated girl was overturned by a higher state court. The accused, according to prosecutors, also filmed the sexual assault/rape and sent it to his friends. The government sought to have…

A sexual assault forensic exam, commonly known as a rape kit, is an examination to collect any evidence left behind after a sexual assault. When a survivor chooses to report an assault to authorities, this exam can be extremely helpful in prosecuting the assailant, as well as allowing the victim to receive necessary medical care.…

Sexual assault is a crime that many people don’t like to think about, but should be in the back of your mind. Many refuse to think that it will happen to them until it does. The Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network (RAINN) reports that one in every six women will be the victim of…

Researchers have come up with response protocols for sexual assault response teams that operate on campuses across the country. These sexual assault response teams are faced with multiple barriers when responding to reports of sexual assault that prevent their work from being effective to the same level as response teams operated by cities and counties.…