Working With Our Riverside Sexual Abuse Attorneys

Whether you are the parent of a child who suffered sexual abuse, a survivor of sexual abuse, or you have a loved one in a skilled nursing facility whom you believe is being sexually abused, consider contacting Gomez Trial Attorneys. We are a law firm of compassionate attorneys with experience handling these difficult cases. Too often, victims of sexual abuse have their lives turned upside-down when they come forward, often leaving them feeling victimized by the legal system that is supposed to protect them. We know how to make sure the perpetrators are held accountable.

While past cases are not always predictive of outcomes in future cases, you can review some successes we have had in pursuing compensation for victims of sexual abuse. We make sure victims have a strong advocate and protect their rights and privacy during the process of holding the responsible parties accountable for their actions.

Child Victims of Sexual Abuse

There are few crimes more horrendous than sexual assaults perpetrated against children. Teachers, coaches, members of the clergy, scout leaders, and even family members have abused children. In fact, statistically, according to the National Association of Adult Survivors of Child Abuse, 90 percent of children who are sexual assault victims know their abuser. In many cases, the abuser is a member of their own family. Between one in three girls, and one in five boys have survived sexual abuse.

Understanding Trauma Associated With Sexual Abuse<

At Gomez Trial Attorneys, we understand that sexual abuse victims may be reluctant to come forward and report their abusers. Often, perpetrators make threats of harm against family members, convince their victims there was a misunderstanding, or continue to manipulate their victims into believing there is no harm in what is occurring.

We understand these factors, and we can help you get the assistance you need to break free from your abuser by offering you information on how to protect yourself from further abuse, helping you find the appropriate counseling and other support services, and, when appropriate, helping you obtain protective orders to keep your abuser away from you.

We also understand that money cannot make up for the suffering and trauma you are forced to deal with every day. You may be suffering from feelings of inadequacy, you may have been convinced by your abuser that you deserve the treatment you are enduring, or you may feel like your entire life will be put on trial if you pursue legal action. We will do everything in our power to protect your privacy until you determine the time is right to proceed with any case.

Protecting Riverside’s Most Vulnerable Populations

Children and seniors are vulnerable to sexual abuse, just like any other age group, and they often need assistance pursuing justice against their abuser. Should you learn your loved one has been suffering at the hands of another, you can count on us to help you make sure they get the justice they deserve and that the perpetrator is held legally and financially accountable for their actions.

We can help you seek justice by seeking criminal charges when the evidence points to those charges being warranted. We can also help you seek compensation for your loved one to ensure they have access to the services they will need to begin their recovery.

Children and seniors sometimes turn to family members when they have experienced sexual abuse, but in many cases, they do not say anything. This is why family members need to know the signs of sexual abuse in children and seniors.

Signs that may indicate a problem include:

• Withdrawal – When your child or adult parent or grandparent seems to lose interest in participating in events, shuns interaction with other members of the family, or shows other signs of withdrawing into themselves, it is important to determine the reasons.
• Unexplained bruising – Bruising in the genital area, on the face or neck, or on the upper arms could be signs of potential sexual abuse.
• Unexplained bleeding – Bleeding during bowel movements or urination could be signs of sexual abuse, and a physician should attend to them.
• Sudden complaints of pain – Pain in the stomach, during urination, or during bowel movements could indicate a sexually transmitted disease, which may be an indication of sexual abuse.
• Lack of personal hygiene – When someone stops taking care of themselves, including failing to change their clothing, brush their teeth or hair, or stops bathing, these could be warning signs of a potential problem.

While these are not the only signs of possible sexual abuse, they are some of the most common reactions to sexual abuse that family members can identify. You know your loved ones best, and if you are concerned by these or other signs, don’t ignore them.

Child Sexual Abuse: Victims Coming Forward Years Later

Over the last two decades, there has been an increase in reported child sexual abuse in some of our most revered institutions, including the Catholic Church. Because many victims did not report these incidents when they were children, it has often been difficult for them to hold the responsible parties accountable.

Fortunately, the California legislature has recently made it possible for victims who began coming forward to now pursue justice against their abusers by extending the statute of limitations (the legal time limit) for filing a lawsuit against an alleged abuser. Because of these changes, regardless of how long it has been since you were a victim, we encourage you to contact us to learn about your options.

Child survivors of sexual abuse now have time to file a lawsuit. The legislation also made it possible for victims to include a request for punitive damages in their lawsuits, particularly if a powerful institution, such as a church, covered for the perpetrators of their abuse.

Understanding the Correlation Between Poor Mental Health and Sexual Abuse

Many people believe rape is the only form of sexual abuse, but this is not the case. Some other forms of sexual abuse include:

• Unwanted fondling.
• Unwanted sexual touching.
• Forcing a victim to perform oral sex.
• Forcing a victim to penetrate the perpetrator.
• Attempted rape.

Regardless of the form that sexual abuse takes, the emotional toll on the victims is often similar. Victims frequently feel guilty because they think they may have encouraged or deserved the abuse they suffered. Many victims suffer long-term mental health issues including post traumatic stress disorder.

Some victims turn to drugs and alcohol as a way of coping with the abuse they suffered, leading them down a path of addiction. Victims may also struggle to lead a normal life, hold down a job, or sustain intimate relationships.

You Are Not Alone

Every 68 seconds, someone in the United States experiences sexual abuse. This number is terrifying and should concern every one of us. Even more heartbreaking, a child is a victim of sexual assault every nine minutes. There is no age limit on sexual abuse, nor is abuse limited to a specific gender. Men, women, nonbinary or transgendered people, children, teens, adults, and seniors are all potential victims of sexual abuse. Unfortunately, more frequently than we like to think, the victims of sexual abuse know their abuser. Statistically, those in the age group between 18 and 34 are the most frequent victims, but they are by no means the only victims.

Sexual assaults go unreported to authorities more than any other crime according to a report released by the Brennan Center. This is often because victims are threatened, may feel the crime is unimportant, or because they feel they will not be believed. In fact, this report shows that perhaps as few as 20 percent of sexual abuse cases are reported and victims report fear of retaliation and shame as the most common reasons they choose not to report.

The California Coalition Against Sexual Assault recently published a study that found there were more than 8.5 million residents in California who were sexual violence survivors, excluding victims of rape.

Another recent study by researchers at UC San Diego Health provides the following sobering statistics:

• Eight-six percent of California females had experienced some form of sexual harassment or abuse.
• Fifty-three percent of California males had similar experiences.

Other disturbing data released in this report was that three out of four foreign-born males reported having been sexually harassed or abused, which is much higher than the rate reported by US-born males. Members of the LGBTQ community are also at a much higher risk of experiencing sexual abuse than straight people.

Why Riverside’s Sexual Abuse Survivors Turn to Our Attorneys for Help

While many victims never come forward to report instances of sexual assault or abuse, when they do, they are often driven by financial need. We may never fully understand the toll sexual abuse takes on victims, but the financial implications of sexual abuse can also be enormous.

Some examples include:

• Mental health counseling – The costs associated with mental health counseling can vary from $25 to $250 per hour depending on whether a victim has insurance coverage. While a $25 copayment may seem small, victims often require many years of counseling to deal with the aftermath of sexual abuse. Even when an abuse victim has insurance, many policies limit the mental health-related visits they cover per year.
• Drug and alcohol abuse treatment – Addiction treatment costs can be staggering and can range from relatively inexpensive day treatment to far more costly in-patient treatment. The more serious the addiction, the higher the cost of treatment. Costs for in-patient treatment can range from $4,700 to $60,000 for 30 days.
• Lost wages and benefits – When someone is sexually abused and of working age, they may not return to work right away, or even in the long-term. The symptoms of PTSD can make maintaining a job impossible. Such victims may lose hundreds of thousands of dollars in wages and benefits as a result of their abuse.

For many victims, the only way to financially recover from sexual abuse is to file a personal injury lawsuit with the assistance of a sexual abuse attorney who has experience holding perpetrators accountable.

Riverside’s Sexual Abuse Survivors Can Call Us for Help

We strongly encourage Riverside’s survivors of sexual abuse to seek legal guidance when they are ready to consider pursuing legal action against those who abused them. At Gomez Trial Attorneys, you can schedule a free consultation during which we will discuss the particulars of your case. Any information you share with us during a consultation is always confidential, and you are in complete control of whether or not we move forward with a lawsuit.

Riverside’s sexual abuse victims have had their lives upended, and they often do not know where to turn for help. We are committed to providing our clients with a compassionate and caring advocate who can guide them through the process of holding their abuser accountable for their actions and getting the compensation they deserve for the abuse they suffered.

We are committed to making sure the process is as simple as possible for our clients, we are there to help our clients understand all aspects of their case, and we keep the lines of communication open so that our clients are always aware of the status of their case.

If you or loved one has been affected by sexual violence, we encourage you to take action today. Contact a skilled sexual abuse lawyer at Gomez Trial Lawyers today with a phone call to (619) 237-3490 or by filling out our online contact form. We will discuss the particular circumstances of your case and help you decide the right way to proceed, depending upon your wishes.

We can provide you with information about how such cases generally proceed and make sure you have the information you need to make the right decision for yourself. We are here to help victims of sexual abuse, regardless of when that abuse took place or how powerful the perpetrator of the abuse may be.

Gomez Trial Attorneys
11840 Pierce Street STE 200
Riverside, CA 92505
(619) 237.3490