Sexual abuse is a serious crime that can impact its victims for many years in physical and emotional ways. Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers is committed to supporting abuse survivors.
Springfield, Massachusetts has higher incidences of rape and violent crime compared to most of the nation. [1] It is particularly well-known for the rampant clergy sexual abuse.
Sex scandals have rocked the city for years, with many victims feeling unjustified because reports of sexual abuse or offenders in the local diocese are not made public like they are in other cities. [2] Your odds of being a victim in Springfield are higher, and if you are, you have rights.
WE ARE ONLY ACCEPTING SEXUAL ABUSE CASES INVOLVING INSTITUTIONS.
IF YOU HAVE A MATTER INVOLVING A RELATIVE OR ACQUAINTANCE, PLEASE CONTACT YOUR LOCAL BAR ASSOCIATION
Why Choose Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers
At Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, we are committed to obtaining the highest compensation for our clients. We have a proven track record of achieving substantial settlements that cover all medical expenses, therapy costs, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
Hotel sexual assault case
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Our compassionate team has deep expertise in handling sexual assault cases, and it is our privilege to be your advocate and legal representation. We fight relentlessly to protect your rights so you can prioritize your healing and financial recovery.
Understanding Sexual Abuse and Assault
Under Massachusetts law, sexual abuse is defined as sexual activity that is forced on someone without their consent or knowledge. These crimes include drugging someone to rape them, as the person does not know about the incident happening.
Massachusetts law doesn’t typically use the term sexual assault, and there is no concrete definition of what clarifies sexual assault. Instead, the charge is generally aggravated sexual assault or indecent sexual assault and battery.
Aggravated sexual assault is similar to sexual abuse in that the crime involves unwanted sexual contact. Still, this felony often results in more severe wounds than intercourse, even if it’s a bruise on a person’s arm.
Indecent sexual assault and battery involves unwanted sexual touching that doesn’t result in intercourse of any kind. For example, grabbing someone’s butt can be classified as indecent sexual assault and battery.
It’s crucial to note that the age of consent plays an essential role in identifying whether a crime was committed against a teenager. Massachusetts defines the age of consent as 16, which means that even if a 15-year-old agrees to a sexual act, it is still a crime. People under 16 cannot provide legal consent.
Many cases of sexual abuse and assault result from an abuse of power, such as someone older or in charge of someone else taking advantage of the situation. This is common in cases of clergy abuse where members of the church are scared to come forward.
We also see this happen when teachers or coaches use their position to get closer to children. Children are taught to listen to adults, creating a power imbalance.
Common Forms of Sexual Abuse
There are common forms of sexual abuse that we often see in the legal system.
- Rape: Forced, non-consensual intercourse.
- Dating and Domestic Violence: Sexual abuse between intimate partners.
- Stalking: A pattern of behavior when one individual follows another.
- Child sexual abuse: Abuse of a minor by another minor or an adult.
It’s essential to remember sexual assault and abuse do not always have to include physical interactions.
Institutions Where Sexual Abuse Is Most Likely to Occur
We handle Springfield sexual assault cases in the following areas:
- Workplace: Professional settings often involve people in a position of power, such as bosses or human resources workers. This power imbalance allows predators to use their authority to take advantage of others.
- Inpatient treatment facilities: Rehabilitation and mental health centers often group strangers in a live-in setting. Unsupervised residents can commit sexual assault against others.
- Correctional facilities: Prisons, jails, and juvenile detention facilities are known for a power imbalance. Guards and staff engaging in sexual relationships with inmates are abusing their power, and inmates may encourage this to enjoy specific benefits.
- Foster care system: Foster homes involve careful vetting to ensure children are safe, but those not previously charged with a sex crime may slip through the cracks. Foster children may also commit crimes against people in the foster home.
- Daycare facilities: Adults are often left unsupervised while caring for multiple children, leaving the door open for abuse to occur.
- Long-term care homes: Assisted living and nursing homes are full of vulnerable patients that predators can take advantage of, mainly if the resident has limited mobility and cannot get away from the attacker.
- Educational institutions: Relationships between teachers and students at high schools continue to make headlines. It’s important to note that these relationships are an abuse of power.
- Religious institutions: Clergy sexual abuse remains a problem throughout Springfield, Massachusetts. Almost 400 clergy members in Massachusetts have been accused of sexual abuse. [3] The position of power and efforts of the church to keep situations quiet make it easier for abuse to occur.
- Sports clubs: Predators often use youth clubs like sports clubs to get closer to children. Parents and children trust coaches, and children are usually left alone with them, setting the stage for abuse.
- Military institutions: Military institutions involve a strict hierarchy of power and cadets of a lower ranking may be scared to say no or report an incident.
- Hospitality industry: Hidden cameras in short-term rentals can be used to spy on people changing or taking showers. Property owners often hide cameras in their rentals before tourists arrive.
- Shelters: Case managers and other workers are often given power over the vulnerable homeless population, and residents at shelters may feel obligated to do what they are told to do. Relationships between these two are a clear abuse of power.
- Medical field: Medical professionals can take advantage of patients under anesthesia because they cannot provide consent. Doctors and nurses may use unnecessary exams as an excuse to touch patients inappropriately.
Steps to Take If You Are a Victim of Sexual Assault
- Do what you can to ensure your safety and well-being. Leave the area immediately, and contact the police if you cannot escape. Contact local domestic violence shelters for help if you live with the person abusing you.
- Document the abuse. Write everything down or take pictures. Create a paper trail. The more information you have, the better. Many sexual abuse victims go to the hospital, where they often collect DNA, take pictures, and create a paper trail via medical reports.
- Find a sexual assault lawyer who can help, like Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers. We will guide you through the process from start to finish and help you get the compensation you deserve.
- Survivors in Springfield, MA, can access support through local organizations like the YWCA, Safe Passage, Northampton, and SafeLink/Casa Myrna.
Compensation for Sexual Abuse Victims
There are different types of compensation available for victims of sex crimes in Springfield, including.
- Medical expenses: Hospital bills, ambulance rides, etc.
- Mental health expenses: Therapy, counseling, etc.
- Pain and suffering: Compensation for emotional and physical impact
- Lost wages: Missed work or loss of job
The severity, length, and impact of the abuse determine how much compensation you are eligible for.
Liability in Sexual Abuse Cases
We can hold individual perpetrators and institutions liable. Institutions are held vicariously liable, meaning they did not commit the act but are responsible.
- Negligence in preventing abuse: Failure to complete background checks, inadequate supervision, creating an environment where the abuse could happen
- Failure to report incidents: Failure to call proper authorities to record the claim.
- Inadequate response to complaints: Did not take claims seriously
Federally funded institutions in Springfield can also be held liable under Title IX, which is a federal law that prohibits discrimination based on protected characteristics, including sex.
How to Prove a Sexual Abuse Case
Establishing liability in abuse cases focuses on three areas.
- Gathering evidence to prove it happened.
- Proving that the institution was either negligent or engaged in intentional misconduct leading to the abuse.
- Linking the abuse to the harm suffered to qualify the compensation you are seeking.
How Our Springfield Sexual Abuse Lawyers Can Help
Our team of sexual abuse lawyers in Springfield, MA, helps represent our clients through legal proceedings and helps negotiate on their behalf. It can be challenging to quantify the repercussions of abuse, but we do our best through the legal process to help you seek justice.
The Time Limits for Filing a Claim in Springfield, MA
Your attorney can help you navigate the statute of limitations to file litigation in abuse cases in Springfield, MA.
- Child sex abuse: 35 years after the final act of abuse or seven years after discovering damages, whichever is later.
- Adult sex abuse: Three years after the date of the abuse.
Contact a Springfield Sexual Abuse Lawyer Today!
If you or a loved one has been affected by the traumatic acts of abuse, our dedicated attorneys are committed to fighting for justice and ensuring that those responsible are held accountable. Whether the abuse occurred in a public place or behind closed doors, we understand how these experiences can affect every aspect of your life.
A Springfield sexual abuse lawyer from our team will be prepared to defend your rights in court, forcefully pursuing compensation for your injuries and trauma. Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers will be with you every step of the way—from sharing your story to the trial process. Let us help you take the next step in seeking justice.
For a free case review, contact us at (888) 424-5757 or by filling out a contact form on our website.
Related Practice Areas
- Boston Sexual Abuse Lawyer
- Cambridge Sexual Abuse Lawyer
- Lowell Sexual Abuse Lawyer
- Worcester Sexual Abuse Lawyer
Resources: [1] Area Vibes [2] Boston Herald [3] Consumer Safety