Washington, DC Lawyers Who Handle Sexual Abuse in School Claims
Protecting children when sexual abuse occurs in schools and at school activities
Young children, teenagers, and young adults all have the right to trust that their schools and colleges will have their best interests at heart. Sadly, teachers, coaches, administrators, school staff, parents, and others may take advantage of your child or a young adult by committing acts of sexual assault or abuse. These unconscionable acts can cause a lifetime of trauma.
Our Washington, DC sexual abuse lawyers hold schools, school districts, colleges, and universities accountable when they fail to take reasonable steps to prevent and respond to sexual abuse. At Nace Law Group Accident & Injury Lawyers, we understand what steps schools should take to protect children from sexual abuse, why they’re accountable, and what damages they should address. Our team will work to hold schools accountable when their actions or inactions cause physical pain, emotional suffering, and financial damages.
How can we help?
- What is sexual abuse of a child at a school?
- Which school employees and visitors may sexually abuse a child in Washington, DC?
- What are the signs of sexual abuse in a child?
- What are the unique challenges in helping children who suffer sexual abuse at school?
- What steps should schools in Washington, DC, take to prevent sexual abuse?
- What type of harm does sexual abuse of a school student cause?
- Who is liable when students suffer sexual abuse at schools in Washington, DC?
- What compensation can children/parents receive for sexual abuse of school students?
- FAQs
- Do you have a Washington, DC school sexual abuse lawyer near me?
What is sexual abuse of a child at a school?
School sexual abuse generally refers to sexual abuse of K-12 students by the people who work for a school and the students of the school. While the general age of consent in DC is 16, it is generally a crime for school employees or others in a position of authority over a student to engage in a sexual act with a student under 18 (D.C. Code § 22-3010.01).
Any nonconsensual sexual activity between an adult and a student who is 16 or 17 is likely improper and likely a violation of school policy. School sexual abuse can also involve nonconsensual sexual activity at a college or university.
Sexual abuse includes the following types of improper conduct:
- Physical sexual abuse
- Rape/attempted rape
- Sexual assault
- Inappropriate touching
- Any type of penetration
- Sexual relations
- Sodomy
- Kissing
- Non-physical sexual abuse
- Exposure
- Asking a child to touch themselves or expose themselves
- Taking sexual videos or photos
- Showing a child sexual images or material
- Masturbation before the child
- Online sexual activities and content
Which school employees and visitors may sexually abuse a child in Washington, DC?
Schools (both public and private) should be alert to the possibility that the following school workers and visitors may commit sexual abuse at their school or at school activities, including:
- Teachers
- School supervisors and administrators
- Coaches
- Healthcare providers, such as school nurses
- Maintenance staff
- After-school personnel
- Other parents
- Visitors to the school
- Other school employees
Schools should also understand that students may sexually abuse other students. Additionally, schools should understand that children with special needs require protection because of their challenges, including the inability to explain or understand what happened.
What are the signs of sexual abuse in a child?
Some of the signs of sexual abuse of a child, according to RAINN (a national rape, sexual assault, and sexual abuse organization), include the following:
- Physical Warning Signs. These signs include STIs, genital area trauma (bleeding, clothes with blood, and bruising).
- Behavioral Changes. These signs include being afraid to be with certain people, unusual discussion about sex or sexual behavior for your child’s age, regression (such as thumb-sucking and bedwetting), social isolation, being reluctant to bathe or change clothes, and being secretive or overly compliant.
- Emotional Changes. These signs include mood changes, fear, difficulty sleeping, changes in eating habits, nightmares, loss of confidence, loss of interest in school or friends, and self-harm.
Parents should listen to their children, trust their sense that something is wrong, and document and report any suspected abuse.
What are the unique challenges in helping children who suffer sexual abuse at school?
Our Washington, DC school sexual abuse lawyers understand the unique legal, medical, and practical issues in representing children who suffer sexual abuse at school.
Fear of reporting the abuse
Schools should take steps to encourage students and parents to file complaints when a child suffers any type of sexual abuse. Many students, especially younger students, may fear that they did something wrong or that they may be disciplined when they did nothing wrong, and it’s the abuser who violated their trust and their dignity.
Schools should have policies and procedures in place to foster the reporting of sexual abuse.
Who can file a sexual abuse claim?
Generally, parents need to file sexual abuse claims for minor children. Children who suffer sexual abuse as minors can file a sexual abuse claim when they turn 18. Children who suffer sexual abuse when they are already adults have the right to file an immediate sexual abuse claim.
What steps should schools in Washington, DC, take to prevent sexual abuse?
All schools (primary, secondary, and post-secondary), whether they’re public or private, should implement written policies and procedures to address sexual abuse at schools or after-school functions. These policies and procedures should include:
- Identifying when, where, and how sexual abuse of a student may occur
- Implementing and encouraging reporting procedures when sexual abuse occurs
- Promptly investigating complaints of sexual abuse
- Educating school workers about the dangers of sexual abuse and the signs of sexual abuse of a student
- Explaining when school personnel have a mandatory duty to report suspicions of sexual abuse
- Disciplining anyone who commits sexual abuse of a student
- Providing counseling services for any student who suffers from sexual abuse at school or during school activities away from school
What type of harm does sexual abuse of a school student cause?
Sexual abuse can cause:
- Physical injuries, such as sexually transmitted diseases
- Anxiety, depression, PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), and other psychological disorders
- Mental health challenges
- Difficulties forming and keeping relationships
- Poor academic performance
- Loss of trust
- Substance abuse
- Many other short and long-term consequences
Who is liable when students suffer sexual abuse at schools in Washington, DC?
Schools may be liable when they fail to protect students in environments where they have a heightened duty of care. At Nace Law Group Accident & Injury Lawyers, we file sexual abuse claims against the people and institutions that either committed the abuse or failed their duty to protect your child or an adult student.
All individuals are generally liable if they commit sexual abuse.
Schools and school districts (such as the District of Columbia Public Schools) may also be liable if they knew or should have known of the sexual abuse and failed to take the appropriate preventive or enforcement steps.
Colleges and universities may also be liable for the sexual abuse of a student.
What compensation can children/parents receive for sexual abuse of school students?
The trauma from sexual abuse can last a lifetime. For children, that trauma can last 70, 80 years, and even longer. The trauma of sexual abuse by the teachers, coaches, and other people whom students trust is often crushing.
Our Washington, DC school sexual abuse lawyers fight to help children and young adults lead healthy lives. We seek compensation for the following past, current, and future damages for students who suffer sexual abuse at school:
- Medical bills, including emergency care, hospitalizations, doctor visits, mental health counseling, medications, and all other reasonably necessary medical care
- Loss of earning capacity compared to what the student would have earned absent the abuse
- Every day of physical pain and suffering
- The inability to enjoy life
- The inability to develop and maintain healthy, caring relationships
- The cost of parents caring for their children, such as ensuring their children meet with their doctors
For children and students, compensation may also include the long-term impact on educational development, including learning disruptions, the need for specialized support services, and the emotional toll on both the child and their family. We may also seek punitive damages for intentional and malicious conduct.
FAQs
What is the timeline for filing a sexual abuse of a child claim against a school or school district in Washington, DC?
Contact us now. Please contact us as soon as you can to protect your child’s legal rights and to help ensure that they are receiving the counseling and other medical care they need. Chances are, the person who is committing sexual abuse is abusing other students.
Each case is different. Generally, in Washington, DC, according to the Council for the District of Columbia, the statute of limitations for civil claims against the perpetrators, schools, school districts, and universities (based on DC law) is as follows:
- If the victim was less than 35 years of age
- When the sexual abuse occurred, the sexual abuse claim must be filed when the victim turns 40+ years old, or within 5 years from when the victim knew, or reasonably should have known, of any act constituting sexual abuse, whichever is later.
- If the victim was 35 years of age or older
- Within 5 years, or 5 years from when the victim knew, or reasonably should have known, of any act constituting sexual abuse, whichever is later.
We’ll explain the specific notice and lawsuit timelines for your case (or your child’s case).
Claims against the District of Columbia generally require a formal notice of claim within six months under D.C. Code § 12-309; however, specific exceptions or extensions may apply to cases involving the sexual abuse of a minor under the Child Sexual Abuse Recovery Act.
What steps should parents take to protect their children if sexual abuse occurs?
If you suspect that anyone at your child’s school sexually abused your child, you should:
- Have a doctor or other qualified health care provider, such as a child psychologist, examine your child. This help may include rape and sexual assault counseling. Medical help often requires psychological counseling, which may be long-term.
- Report the abuse to the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia.
- Contact our experienced personal injury lawyers. We have 40 years of experience fighting for personal injury victims. We’ll speak with you and your child privately and confidentially. Our lawyers will work to show who is liable and what compensation they should pay.
- Use local resources. The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health provides many resources. Other resources include:
- National resources (such as RAINN) and local resources (such as the DC Child and Family Services Agency).
- There are also resources for financial help, students with special needs, and other resources that our lawyers will provide for you and your child.
- DC Coalition to End Sexual Violence. This link includes a DC victims’ hotline, frequently asked questions, and other resources.
- The DC Rape Crisis Center.
- DC Forensic Nurse Examiners.
Do you have a Washington, DC school sexual abuse lawyer near me?
Yes. We meet parents, children, and young adult students at our office near The Washington Harbour in Georgetown, located at 1025 Thomas Jefferson St NW #810, Washington, D.C. 20007. We also discuss cases by phone and through online video. We’ll discuss alternative arrangements to meet with you and your child, if necessary.
We’ll explain and prepare you and/or your child for each phase of the claims process.
Contact our Washington, DC, school sexual abuse attorneys today.
Nace Law Group Accident & Injury Lawyers holds individuals and organizations accountable when they fail you or your child. Sexual assaults of children are horrific. They should never happen. They cause unbearable pain. We seek to maximize the possible recovery under Washington, DC law so that victims can live their best lives possible.
Please call us or fill out our contact form to schedule a free consultation. We have the experience and resources to fight for you now.