Signs Your Child May Have Suffered Sexual Abuse
How Can I Tell if My Child Was Sexually Abused?
There are few things that can cause as much emotional and psychological trauma as sexual abuse. This terrible crime is already heinous enough when perpetrated against an adult but takes on an entirely new level of deplorability when children are involved. Many children across the country, let alone the world, are specifically targeted by sexual offenders and end up severely harmed. These children can end up being sexually abused in a number of settings where parents may assume them to be safe. There have been many high profile child abuse cases where children have suffered sexual assault in places like their church, their boy scout troop, their school, and even daycare. These sexual assaults often occur and are left unreported by those involved for a multitude of reasons. Victims can feel shame, confusion, or simply not fully comprehend the gravity of what happened. This is why parents should be aware of the signs that their child may have experienced sexual abuse.
Florida Sexual Abuse Lawsuits
Those that have been harmed through sexual abuse will typically seek to have those that committed such a horrible act held responsible for their crimes. Criminal law is responsible for determining the guilt of criminals like sex offenders and ensuring they are brought to justice via sentencing appropriate penalizations proportionate to the crimes committed. Justice under criminal law punishes sexual offenders but the damage that was inflicted on victims still exists. Victims of sexual abuse still have to contend with the intense emotional and psychological trauma that comes with their experience. This can affect their ability to work, their finances directly via medical and therapy bills, and generally impact their quality of life.
Civil law allows those severely harmed by sexual abuse to seek compensation for the damages caused via sexual abuse lawsuits. Since criminal law does not compensate sexual abuse victims it is left to them to take legal action themselves through civil tort and this can prove to be a very difficult process. A skilled sexual abuse attorney can assist sexual abuse victims with determining what third parties can be held liable for their damages, help negotiate settlements with these parties, as well as offer invaluable insight and resources to get a client the restitution that they deserve. Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA has experience providing clients award-winning legal assistance when it comes to matters such as this. Our attorneys are willing to provide a free consultation to those who suffered sexual abuse. To contact Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA either call our Clearwater office at (727) 451-6900 or fill out a contact form online.
Telltale Signs Your Child May Have Been Sexually Assaulted
Physical Signs of Sexual Assault
One of the most obvious and tangible signs that a child has experienced sexual abuse are physical injuries typically associated with this crime. Sexually transmitted diseases present in a child are a fairly clear sign that something is very wrong and there needs to be an investigation. Children that are sexually abused can contract sexually transmitted diseases like HIV, gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, genital herpes, and HPV which can be very damaging when left untreated. STI's like HIV are outright incurable.
Other physical signs that parents should be on the lookout for are bruising, bleeding, or other trauma around the genitals that can be evidence of some kind of sexual assault. Bruising around the wrists, arms, and other areas that can be evidence of a struggle should also be looked out for.
Child Behavior After a Sexual Assault
Children can display certain regressive behaviors in the aftermath of sexual abuse. They may start thumbsucking, crying excessively, throw tantrums, and bedwetting are common examples of behaviors that children may have outgrown but resume as a result of trauma. Another sign is inappropriate knowledge of sexual topics or the display of sexual behaviors they should have no knowledge of.
The trauma of sexual abuse can lead to emotional and mental issues that a parent might not realize have been caused by sexual abuse trauma. Depression, anxiety, sleep disorders and such can be related to trauma suffered at the hand of a sexual abuser. Generally. There is an emotional and behavioral shift because of a sexual assault so it is important to be aware of what is normal for your child since these shifts can be sudden.
Sudden Changes in Your Child's Behavior Can Indicate Sexual Trauma
Children can suddenly become terrified of being left alone especially with caregivers. Their eating habits can suddenly change where they eat little or suddenly eat much more than usual. A child that has suffered sexual abuse may refuse to remove clothes for things such as bathing, changing clothes, using the bathroom, or diapering. A child may develop mood swings as a result of trauma as well. Not all sudden changes in a child's behavior can be the result of sexual trauma but there are generally several of the aforementioned signs present when there is something wrong.
Seek an Experienced Florida Sexual Assault Attorney
If you or a loved one have suffered as a result of sexual assault and/or survived sexual trafficking then you are likely able to seek compensation for the damages you suffered through a civil lawsuit. Sexual assault and human trafficking affect not just individuals but whole families and even entire communities. Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA provides expert legal representation to those seeking to hold those that sexually assaulted accountable for their actions.
By enlisting the legal assistance of Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA's experienced sexual assault attorneys, you are giving your case the best chance possible at recovering a settlement that you can be comfortable and satisfied with. Our lawyers have been serving the people of Florida for years by successfully securing settlements for sexual assault survivors from parties whose negligence allowed for such tragic experiences to occur. Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA offers free consultations to those that are curious as to how we can assist in your sexual assault injury lawsuit. To contact Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA you can either contact us online or call our office at (727) 451-6900.
Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA
800 North Belcher Road
Clearwater, FL 33765
(727) 451-6900
https://www.dolmanlaw.com/legal-services/catholic-church-sexual-abuse-attorney/
Matthew Dolman
Personal Injury Lawyer
This article was written and reviewed by Matthew Dolman. Matt has been a practicing civil trial, personal injury, products liability, and mass tort lawyer since 2004. He has successfully fought for more than 11,000 injured clients and acted as lead counsel in more than 1,000 lawsuits. Always on the cutting edge of personal injury law, Matt is actively engaged in complex legal matters, including Suboxone, AFFF, and Ozempic lawsuits. Matt is a lifetime member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum for resolving individual cases in excess of $1 million and $2 million, respectively. He has also been selected by his colleagues as a Florida Superlawyer and as a member of Florida’s Legal Elite on multiple occasions. Further, Matt has been quoted in the media numerous times and is a sought-after speaker on a variety of legal issues and topics.
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