Within the past decade, stories have surfaced about systemic sexual assaults and abuses within some of the country’s most venerated institutions and organizations. Institutional sexual assault and abuse cases can be brought in both the criminal and civil justice systems in Florida.Â
We’ll cover what institutional sexual assault and abuse are and how victims can seek justice in the State of Florida with a personal injury attorney.
What Is Institutional Sexual Assault or Abuse?
Institutional sexual assault or sexual abuse occurs when someone in a position of power abuses this power to sexually molest or assault a victim. This can include relationships like a teacher to student, camp counselor to camper, coach to athlete, pastor/ priest to a child, or correctional officer to an inmate.
Another common form of Institutional sexual assault or abuse involves nursing home, assisted living, or group home employees who sexually harass or assault the patients in their care. In many cases, these patients have diminished mental or physical capacities that can make it difficult for them to understand or report the assault.
This sexual abuse can encompass everything from forcible assault or rape, to touching or fondling the victim, and even forcing them to watch pornography or another person’s sexual performance. In many cases, Institutional sexual assault and abuse may begin with inappropriate comments and then progress to more serious physical assault.
How Are Institutional Sexual Abuse Cases Uncovered?
Institutional sexual assault and abuse cases can be tough to spot if one isn’t paying close attention. Due to the natural power disparity between the perpetrator and the victim, as well as the level of control the perpetrator may have over the victim’s daily life, victims may be afraid that they’ll suffer retaliation if they report the assault.Â
In other cases, the victims may suffer from dementia, ALS, or another medical condition that prevents them from making a report to facility supervisors or law enforcement. Most times, these cases are often revealed only after a third party (like another resident, a family member, or a fellow employee) notices that something seems suspicious.Â
For example, a family member may notice that his or her loved one becomes agitated or upset whenever a certain staff member enters their room and report these concerns to the facility’s manager.
Some perpetrators tend to assault multiple people over a short time period. In that case, institutional sexual assault and abuse may come to light after one victim makes a report, prompting an investigation into other potential victims.
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What Can I Do to Help Catch a Criminal?
If you suspect institutional sexual abuse, we encourage you to contact the police with your suspicions. They will have the authority to do an investigation of the matter. Sometimes families do take risky steps to get evidence that could threaten a case.
One example is secretly installing cameras inside a loved one’s room in a nursing home. While this can catch graphic evidence, it may not be admissible depending on many factors. If you do want to install a camera, we strongly recommend speaking with a nursing home abuse attorney for legal guidance.
What Recourse Do Victims of Sexual Assault or Abuse Have?
Institutional sexual assault and abuse are addressed by Florida’s criminal and civil statutes, providing victims with multiple routes to recovery.Â
Criminal Penalties
If a perpetrator is alleged to have engaged in non-consensual touching or other sexual conduct with a vulnerable person in their care, he or she could be prosecuted for felony sexual assault. Any criminal penalties for this assault are enhanced if the victim is under age 18, has a physical or mental disability, or is unable to consent to sexual contact.
If the defendant is convicted of sexual assault for institutional sexual abuse, they will be required to register on Florida’s sex offender registry. This conviction will follow them for the rest of their lives, barring them from working in schools, nursing homes, or other organizations ever again.
Unfortunately, there is a statute of limitations for many criminal sexual assault crimes – if the abuse isn’t reported to law enforcement within the appropriate timeframe, police and prosecutors may be unable to bring charges. Although this statute of limitations can be paused, or tolled, until the abuse is first uncovered, waiting too long to report abuse can insulate the perpetrator from any criminal liability.
Civil Penalties
In addition to any criminal penalties that can attach to institutional sexual abuse, the organizations that allow these abuses to occur (and the individuals responsible for engaging in or facilitating this conduct) can also be held civilly liable. This allows the victim (and, in some cases, their family members) to recover financial damages.
To hold an organization civilly liable for institutional sexual abuse, the victim will need to show three factors: (1) the institution owed the victim a duty of care; (2) the institution breached this duty; and (3) this breach resulted in physical, mental, or emotional injuries.
Establishing the first prong is fairly routine. But showing that the institution breached its duty of care – for example, through a lack of employee screening or failure to follow up on initial reports of abuse – and proving the damages that have resulted from this breach can be a challenge.Â
Recovering from Institutional Sexual Assault
A successful conviction and/or lawsuit can help get closure, but recovering from institutional sexual assault can take years and specialized treatment. A sexual abuse attorney will try to get compensation to help pay for trauma care and therapy.
We understand that seeking a therapist will be difficult. After being abused by someone in power, it could be hard to learn how to trust someone with these painful memories to guide your care. Nevertheless, we encourage you to seek help when you’re ready.
Need free legal help in Florida?
We specialize in personal injury claims.
Work with a Personal Injury Attorney Today
It’s important to explore your options with a sexual abuse lawyer before pursuing (or settling) an institutional sexual abuse claim. Going against a big corporation or organization can seem like a great deal of stress, but having an experienced personal injury attorney with years of experience in the courtroom can help hold the responsible party accountable, help you recover financially, and hopefully bring you peace of mind.Â
Need free legal help in Florida?
We specialize in personal injury claims.
