Washington, D.C. Lawyers: When Another Student Commits Sexual Abuse
Holding schools, universities, and school districts accountable for failing to prevent sexual abuse by students
Schools and colleges need to ensure that their students are safe from sexual abuse by other students while in school, at school activities, and living or visiting a campus. Sadly, sexual abuse by other students is all too common.
At Nace Law Group Accident & Injury Lawyers, we understand how schools should protect students from sexual abuse, and why they should be held accountable when they fail to create and implement policies and procedures to prevent and monitor sexual abuse – and when they fail to properly encourage the reporting of sexual abuse.
We hold schools, universities, and others who fail their duty to protect students accountable for the physical and emotional trauma that sexual abuse causes. Call us now to protect yourself and your child from student-on-student sexual abuse.
How can we help?
- How common is student-on-student sexual abuse?
- How does student-on-student sexual abuse occur in Washington, D.C.?
- What steps can schools and universities take to prevent students from sexually abusing other students?
- What types of harm does sexual abuse of students by other students cause?
- Who is responsible for student-on-student sexual abuse in Washington, D.C.?
- What compensation can sexual abuse victims receive?
- FAQs
- Do you have a Washington, D.C. student-on-student sexual assault lawyer near me?
How common is student-on-student sexual abuse?
Sexual abuse of students by other students happens both in high schools and colleges.
According to RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network), thousands of students across America are raped or sexually assaulted every year — “often in the very spaces meant to support their safety and success.”
- “On college campuses, 13% of all students experience rape or sexual assault, with rates even higher for undergraduate women (26.4%) and students with nonconforming social identities (21%).”
- “26.4% of female and 6.8% of male undergraduate students experience rape or sexual assault involving physical force, violence, or incapacitation.”
- “9.7% of female and 2.5% of male graduate and professional students experience rape or sexual assault involving physical force, violence, or incapacitation.”
According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, the number of teen girls who have reported experiencing sexual violence was 18% in 2021. According to the NSVRC report, more than 95% of young people spend the majority of their daily lives in schools.
How does student-on-student sexual abuse occur in Washington, D.C.?
Any type of sexual relationship requires consent. Under D.C. law, the general age of consent is 16, but minors under 18 cannot consent to sexual activity with adults in certain positions of authority or significant relationships. Whether student-on-student sexual conduct is unlawful depends on age, capacity, coercion, force, relationship, and the specific conduct involved. Sexual activity with someone who is incapacitated by drugs or alcohol and unable to give consent may be illegal under D.C. law.
Student-on-student sexual violence in Washington, D.C. includes many different types of touching and non-touching offenses, including:
- Rape and sexual assault, including date rape
- Unwanted touching
- Demanding sex
- Forcing a student to engage in prostitution or pornography
- Insisting on unsafe sexual acts
- Preventing a student from using birth control
- Videotaping sexual acts and posting them
- Sending or requesting nude images (videos, photos, and illustrations)
- Posting sexual comments on a student’s social media accounts
- Sexually harassing a student about their gender identity, sexual preference, or appearance
- Sexual exploitation
- Sexual bullying and sexual hazing
Sexual abuse of students by other students includes sexual abuse of students with disabilities or other special needs.
What steps can schools and universities take to prevent students from sexually abusing other students?
Our Washington, D.C., student-on-student sexual abuse lawyers understand what steps schools, after-school organizations, school districts, and colleges should take to prevent sexual abuse on campus or during school hours. These preventive steps include:
- Having written policies and procedures in place about the dangers of sexual abuse and the strategies for preventing abuse
- Training school teachers, staff, and students about sexual abuse on campus and in primary and secondary schools
- Working with parents to address concerns about the sexual abuse of students by other students
- Understanding how social media accounts can create opportunities for sexual abuse by students against other students
- Creating an environment where students feel safe and encouraged to report sexual abuse by another student on campus or at a school
- Investigating complaints of sexual abuse or assault by other students
- Disciplining students who sexually abuse other students
Schools and universities must also comply with Title IX investigation, response, monitoring, and disciplinary requirements. They must also comply with the Washington, D.C. sexual abuse laws and regulations.
Under D.C. Code § 4-1321.02, listed mandatory reporters include school officials, teachers, athletic coaches, and other specified professionals. Separately, D.C. Code § 22-3020.52 requires any person who knows or has reasonable cause to believe that a child is a victim of sexual abuse to report to police, subject to statutory definitions and exceptions.
What types of harm does sexual abuse of students by other students cause?
Common signs of sexual abuse of students include:
- Avoiding schools, specific activities, and specific students.
- Emotional distress, which may include anxiety, depression, difficulty sleeping, mood changes, and self-harm, including thoughts of suicide.
- Social withdrawal and isolation.
- Changes in appearance
- Psychological difficulties. These may include anxiety, depression, PTSD, and self-harm.
- Changes in school achievements and engagements. Students may not attend classes, not do their homework, perform poorly on tests and in the classroom, and struggle academically.
- Social changes or difficulty forming and keeping relationships.
- Students may also engage in risky sexual behaviors.
Students who suffer physical sexual abuse will likely need emergency medical help (including the use of rape kit tests), rape and sexual assault counseling, and long-term psychological help and mental health counseling.
Who is responsible for student-on-student sexual abuse in Washington, D.C.?
At Nace Law Group Accident & Injury Lawyers, we hold the organizations that should have protected students from sexual abuse and failed to do so accountable. The defendants may include:
- Public and private schools
- The appropriate Washington, C. school district, such as the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) or private governing boards, based on negligent supervision or retention.
- Washington, C. colleges and universities.
- Campus housing dorms and facilities.
What compensation can sexual abuse victims receive?
Our Washington, D.C. sexual abuse lawyers fight to protect the future of students who suffer sexual abuse. We work with the students’ doctors (and our own network of physicians, psychologists, and other medical providers) to understand the full scope and severity of each victim’s physical, emotional, and mental health trauma.
We fight to recover the maximum compensation available under the law for the physical and emotional damages students may suffer. These damages include:
- Medical bills of every nature by every healthcare provider
- Lost income due to the inability to complete school and do their work
- The inability to keep and maintain social relationships
- The inability to enjoy life’s pleasures
- Any scarring or disfigurement
FAQs
What is the timeline for filing a sexual abuse of a student claim in Washington, D.C.?
The timelines for filing a civil sexual abuse action in Washington, D.C., against other students, schools, universities, and school districts depend on the facts of the case.
Generally, in Washington, D.C., according to the Council for the District of Columbia, the statute of limitations for civil claims against individuals, schools, universities, and school districts 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 by the time 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.
Please contact us to discuss the specific notice and lawsuit timelines for your child’s or your case if you are 18 or older. We can explain if there are any changes to the deadlines.
Claims against the District of Columbia may require written notice within six months after the injury under D.C. Code § 12-309, subject to exceptions and claim-specific rules.
How do you help students in Washington, D.C. who suffer sexual abuse by other students?
At Nace Law Group Accident & Injury Lawyers, we help students and parents obtain justice in the following ways. Our lawyers:
- Review what medical help the student needs
- Provide a safe and confidential place for students and the parents of minor children to discuss their concerns and ask questions
- Provide local resources for students and parents to use
- Determine what happened and who is responsible
- File sexual abuse claims against the responsible parties and seek full compensation for the student’s financial and personal needs
- Conduct discovery of everyone involved
- Examine prior misconduct reports that schools and colleges have
- Show that the school had knowledge or should have had knowledge of a student’s prior record of sexual misconduct on campus
- Work with the local prosecutors if any criminal charges are filed
- Handle any media requests
- Review how social media affects a student’s claim
Do you have a Washington, D.C. student-on-student sexual assault lawyer near me?
Yes, we do. Our main office is located at 1025 Thomas Jefferson St NW #810, in Georgetown, Washington, D.C. Our lawyers also consult with students and parents by phone and through online video platforms like Zoom. We can make alternative arrangements when necessary.
We guide sexual assault victims step-by-step through the claims process.
Speak with our Washington, D.C. sexual abuse lawyers today
At Nace Law Group Accident & Injury Lawyers, we understand how traumatic sexual abuse is. Students who suffer sexual abuse lose their trust, confidence, and ability to keep and maintain relationships. Students who experience sexual abuse often suffer academically and emotionally. We fight to obtain justice and restore a student’s future.
Schedule your free consultation by calling us or by filling out our contact page. We’re ready to help students and parents now.