South Carolina Child Sexual Abuse Attorneys
Our South Carolina Child Sexual Abuse Lawyers are helping victims of child sexual abuse seek justice and compensation from the institutions that failed to protect them, including churches, schools, summer camps, religious organizations, youth sports and youth recreation organizations like the Boy Scouts.
Anybody who sexually preys upon the least vulnerable among us, the children who need our protection, should pay the price, both financially and criminally. Child sexual abuse is an unimaginably heartbreaking act. Too often, such a crime is committed by an individual who is trusted with caring for and protecting a child in one way or another. These individuals and the organizations that might employ them are tasked with protecting children from any sort of harm, including sexual abuse. When these organizations and individuals fail the children by not preventing sexual abuse, they should be held accountable.
If your child or a loved one has suffered from child sexual abuse, you may have standing to bring a claim for compensation aside from any criminal charges. Contact the experienced and compassionate South Carolina Child Sexual Abuse Lawyers at Strom Law Firm today.
What Constitutes Child Sexual Abuse?
Legally, ethically, and morally, children are unable to consent to sexual activity. Anybody who commits any sort of sexual act to a child is a criminal and is guilty of childhood sexual abuse. The law offers multiple ways of holding such despicable behavior accountable. One such accountability is provided by criminal law, and results in charges being pressed against the sexual abuse predator. If convicted of childhood sexual abuse, such a process would likely end with the perpetrator spending a significant amount of time in prison.
In addition to criminal charges, a victim may bring a civil lawsuit against a child sexual predator and seek financial compensation for the suffering endured by the child. The attorneys at Strom Law Firm have experience representing clients in vulnerable situations, and we are here to help your family navigate this difficult process of a sexual abuse case.
Child sexual abuse presents itself by a variety of inappropriate and disgusting acts, and it does not have to be physical in nature:
- Fondling
- Exposure of private parts to a minor
- Any possession, distribution, or creation of child pornography
- Masturbation by or in front of a child
- Sex trafficking of children
- Sexual intercourse and other sexual acts
- Digital communications, like sharing sexual photos over the internet
Sadly, when child sexual abuse occurs, it is usually carried out by a person that the child knows and trusts. As many as 93% of childhood victims know the person who abuses them.
Sexual Predators know that children are vulnerable, and will convince them to keep the abuse a secret from parents and others of authority. Some signs of sexual abuse to keep an eye out for are:
- Sudden changes to your child’s genital area or anus– Any sort of symptoms that might be consistent with sexually transmitted diseases (STD), bleeding, or complaints of pain.
- Increasingly poor hygiene– If your child is refusing to shower or wear clean clothes, it may be a sign that something more is going on and sexual abuse is happening.
- Changes in behavior– Of course, mood swings among children and teenagers are common, but keep an eye out for significant changes in behavior including starting fire, self-harm, changes in appetite accompanied by weight loss or weight gain, and running away.
Organizations Often Deny, Ignore, or Cover-Up Allegations of Childhood Sexual Abuse
It seems that at least once a year, there is a breaking news story about a highly esteemed organization turning a blind eye to child sexual abuse. From Penn State Football and Jerry Sandusky to the Catholic Church, too many people in power have repeatedly taken advantage of vulnerable youth for their guilty pleasure. While we cannot fully understand the thinking that leads to sexual abuse such cover-ups, one thing is apparent; they are looking after anybody but the child victims.
While often worrying about their brand’s reputation or the company’s bottom line, no organization is justified in covering child sex abuse. If a child sex predator has victimized you, no matter your current age, contact a sexual abuse attorney today, and we will examine all of your options.
South Carolina Statute of Limitations on Child Sex Abuse Cases
In basic terms, a statute of limitations is a time limit placed on when a party is allowed to file a sexual abuse lawsuit. Many factors can go into determining at what point the time limit set by a statute of limitations begins to count. Child sex abuse victims must file a lawsuit by whichever is the later of these two dates:
- Six years after the victim’s 21st birthday
- Three years after the victim realizes that the abuse caused an injury
This statute of limitations recognizes the unique concerns and realities surrounding child sexual abuse. It can take years to discover an injury that is mentally or physically related to child sex abuse. Memories of sexual abuse are, many times, suppressed by the victim as a way to cope with their suffering. Sometimes, victims do not fully remember the sexual abuse suffered at their abuser’s hands until decades after the attacks.
Thanks to the above described South Carolina statute of limitations on child sexual abuse, a lawsuit might be filed at any point over the course of a victim’s life. If the time comes that you are ready to hold your childhood sexual abuser accountable, no matter your age, contact Strom Law Firm today. We will fight to hold the abuser, who took it upon themselves to have such a negative impact on your life, accountable.
You Are Likely Not The Abuser’s Only Victim
If you happen to be the only sexual abuse victim of your predator, you can almost guarantee that, without intervention, you will not be their last victim. Predators often take advantage of vulnerable children multiple times and with multiple children. There is likely someone who is suffering from the pain caused by your abuser’s actions, just like you.
There are resources available to help child sex abuse victims. RAINN is an organization that exists for this purpose. RAINN offers a hotline for abuse victims to call and seek help and information. The scars left by sexual abuse cannot be taken lightly. Reach out to somebody for help when you need it.
Because sexual predators rarely only abuse one victim, it is important to hold them accountable as quickly as possible in efforts to prevent further abuse of additional victims. Contact a South Carolina Child Sexual Abuse Lawyer at Strom Law Firm today to help you deal with all the process of holding your abuser accountable. Financial compensation can only go so far in healing your abuse wounds, but our hope is that our support and encouragement will provide you with some healing.
Why Do You Need Sexual Abuse Lawyers For Your Child Sex Abuse Claims?
Child sex abuse claims will be fought tooth-and-nail by the accused predator, as well as by any organization to which that sexual abuse predator may belong. Many of these abuse predators and organizations are very powerful and have deep pockets. Some may try to intimidate you into settling to make the problem go away. Often, the opposing parties will try and settle for pennies on the dollar of what your abuse claim is actually worth.
Child sexual abuse should never be swept under the rug, and any organization that puts their bottom line ahead of a child’s well-being does not deserve to have a strong brand reputation.
The subject of child sexual abuse presents very tragic and emotional circumstances, and the attorneys at Strom Law Firm understand that. We make it a priority to treat our abuse clients with empathy and compassion as we pursue compensation and justice on their behalf.
We Are Here To Help Sexual Abuse Survivors. Our Child Sex Abuse Attorneys Can Help You
Whether you or your loved one was abused by a family member, friend, or another individual, we are here with the resources and experience to hold predators accountable. If your predator belongs to an organization, who you choose to trust, we are ready to fight to the finish with any organization, no matter the size.
If you or a loved one are being abused or were abused as a child in South Carolina, contact us. We offer free case evaluations, and we do not collect a fee unless we recover for you. Contact the experienced South Carolina Child Sexual Abuse Lawyers at Strom Law Firm in Columbia at 803-252-4800 or online and find out if we are able to help you.
