In recent years, law enforcement authorities at both the state and federal levels have increased their efforts to prosecute individuals who engage in sexual abuse of people in their care. State legislators have also taken steps to expand the rights of people affected by such abuse to sue their attackers in civil court. Unfortunately, a great deal of sexual abuse happens at an institutional level rather than just an individual one.
In addition to the people who directly sexually abused you, it may also be possible to file a civil suit against the organizations that allowed, facilitated, or negligently failed to prevent that abuse. To explore your legal options, contact an Illinois institutional sex abuse lawyer from Phillips Law Group who will work tenaciously to protect your best interests.
Sexual abuse within the international Catholic Church has made the most headlines by sheer volume in recent years, but institutional sex abuse has occurred and continues to occur in various types of organizations other than religious ones. In the Chicago area and throughout the state of Illinois, institutional sex abuse within schools has harmed thousands of people over the past several decades, from K-12 students to college and university athletes participating in school-sponsored sports leagues.
Youth organizations such as the YMCA, the Boy and Girl Scouts of America, and Boys and Girls Clubs also have an unacceptable history of overlooking sexual misconduct by counselors, volunteers, and sometimes other participants in youth programs. Finally, institutional sex abuse within residential facilities—including juvenile detention centers—is an especially severe problem in Illinois, and one which our compassionate attorneys can help take proactive legal action over.
It goes without saying that no amount of money can completely erase the undeserved trauma someone targeted by institutional sex abuse has experienced. What civil restitution can do, however, is address specific financial, physical, and psychological forms of harm that abuse has caused and will continue to cause its victims, including things like:
It is worth emphasizing that it is not just possible but relatively common for civil claims over institutional sex abuse in Illinois to proceed while related criminal trials are still ongoing. In fact, as a qualified lawyer can explain during a confidential consultation, it is possible in many situations to hold an institution civilly liable for permitting sexual abuse under its watch, even if no one in the organization is convicted on criminal charges related to the abuse.
At Phillips Law Group, while we are looking into claims involving individuals born after July 1983, it is best to get in touch with a member of our team to discuss your legal options and personal circumstances no matter your age. Please call 602-222-2222 to discuss your situation today.
No one deserves to be sexually mistreated or abused in any way, and certainly not young children in the care of public or private organizations that have a duty to keep them safe from harm. However, if you were nevertheless abused because of organizational failures like the ones mentioned above, you have a right to demand civil restitution from both your abusers and the people who allowed them to abuse you.
Representation from an Illinois institutional sex abuse lawyer will dramatically improve your chances of getting a favorable result from your civil claim and obtaining the compensation you deserve. Call Phillips Law Group today to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with a member of our team.
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