Tampa Sexual Abuse Lawyer

Sexual abuse can have consequences that last a lifetime. Unfortunately, many victims struggle to come forward, both because they fear that an investigation may involve reliving the assault and because victims often face shame when they come forward.

If you've suffered sexual abuse, however, you deserve compensation for everything you've suffered, and your decision to come forward can prevent other individuals from suffering similar abuse in the future. A Tampa sexual abuse lawyer from our team at Dolman Law Group can support you throughout the legal process.

Why Choose Our Tampa Sexual Abuse Lawyers?

Sexual abuse often leaves victims feeling violated and insecure long after the abuse itself. In dealing with sexual assault or abuse victims, we exercise compassion and understanding.

That includes:

• Handling negotiations for you as much as possible, preventing you from having to deal with your abuser or the abuser's insurance company directly
• Listening compassionately to all the aspects of your story and giving you the time you need to share everything that led up to or contributed to your abuse
• Providing access to resources that can help recover from the trauma you've experienced
• Fully investigating your claim, including collecting any evidence that can provide insight into the abuse you faced
• Collecting your medical records and going over any other vital information

Defining Sexual Abuse

Many victims assume that if they did not suffer rape, they did not suffer sexual abuse. Sexual abuse, however, can incorporate much more than direct forced genital-on-genital contact alone.

Sexual abuse includes any non-consensual sexual act, including:

• Unwanted touching
• Forcing you to engage in degrading or uncomfortable acts during intercourse
• Forcing you to perform any type of sexual act
• Taking videos or photos of sexual acts without your permission
• Spreading explicit photos or videos without your consent
• Denying you access to contraceptives to prevent unwanted pregnancies 
• Refusing to allow you to use protection against sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)

Sexual abuse often worsens over time. Many people have intimate relationships with their abusers and may even remain with them despite the abuse. Identifying sexual abuse, calling it by name, and pursuing justice can help you heal from the abuse you've suffered and provide you with vital compensation that allows you to move forward with your life.

Who Can Be a Victim of Sexual Abuse?

While it is common to be in denial and second guess yourself after suffering sexual abuse, always remember that anyone can be a victim of sexual abuse. Whether you are a man, woman, child, or elderly person, you can be a victim of sexual abuse.

Family members and loved ones with mental and physical disabilities can also be common victims of sexual abuse. Therefore, if you suspect that someone experienced sexual abuse but know that the individual cannot speak for themselves or let anyone know, it may be a good idea for you to keep an eye out for signs and symptoms indicating abuse.

Unfortunately, young children and mentally and physically impaired individuals frequently become victims of sexual abuse by people who are either in a position of authority or those who are taking care of them.

For instance, individuals such as teachers, tutors, employees in nursing homes, or managers in adult day care centers may exploit their authority to commit sexual abuse against children or mentally and physically challenged individuals.

If you or someone you know suffered sexual abuse, the Dolman Law Group wants to assure you that you do not have to go through this alone. Whenever you are ready, you can reach out to our firm so we can provide the help and guidance that you need.

Matthew Dolman and his dedicated legal team stand ready and available to handle and advocate for your sex abuse claim. Rest assured, our commitment includes safeguarding your confidentiality throughout our discussions, offering you the peace of mind that our conversations will remain entirely confidential. Your trust in our team allows us to diligently pursue justice while prioritizing your privacy and well-being throughout this process.

Florida Sexual Abuse Statistics and Data

According to the Florida Department of Health's Sexual Battery Victims' Access to Services Act Legislative Report, there were 7,650 reports of forcible sex offenses made to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement in a recent year. Authorities arrested 4,182 individuals from those reports.

However, when analyzing these numbers, recognize that they represent only the reported cases, potentially excluding many unreported instances of sexual abuse. Since sexual abuse often goes unreported, the actual number of forcible sex offenses is likely significantly higher than reported statistics suggest.

The Aftereffects of Sexual Violence: Victim Symptoms

Following sexual abuse, no two people react in the same way. Some victims of childhood sexual abuse go on to lead perfectly normal lives. Others may suffer long-term behavior difficulties or struggle with emotional connection. However, many survivors of sexual abuse do share some common symptoms.

Genital Trauma

Many victims of sexual assault have a higher instance of genital trauma following the assault than victims who engage in consensual sex. Sexual abuse can also include deliberate trauma to the genitals. Bruising, tenderness, and lacerations can cause difficulty and pain following a sexual assault. Trauma may also occur around the anus after an assault.

Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)

STDs can permanently change the lives of many victims of sexual abuse. Many abusers spread STDs through direct genital contact and contact with bodily fluids, including semen and blood. STDs can also spread through oral and anal sex. Some STDs cause ongoing pain when untreated, while others can cause infertility.

Contracting an STD can also cause victims to avoid contact with future partners or cause embarrassment, including an ongoing reminder of past abuse.

Depression and Anxiety

Many victims of sexual abuse suffer from depression and anxiety. If you had depression and anxiety before your assault, sexual trauma can worsen it; if you never had symptoms before, sexual trauma can cause them for the first time.

Both depression and anxiety can make it difficult to go out in public. You may suffer decreased interest in activities you once enjoyed, or you might discover you need more space when in public.

Flashbacks and/or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Many victims of sexual violence, including ongoing sexual abuse and sexual attacks, suffer from flashbacks in which they relive the experience. Flashbacks can occur due to specific triggers, like being in an area that reminds the victim of the assault or coming into contact with the abuser, or flashbacks can result for apparently no reason.

PTSD can also cause heightened emotional responses to seemingly mundane stimuli, increased anxiety and depression, and avoidance of scenarios that remind victims of their abuse.

Sleep Disturbances

Following sexual abuse, many people struggle to maintain normal sleep patterns. Victims of childhood sexual trauma, especially those who suffered ongoing sexual abuse as a child, may struggle to sleep apart from other people or struggle with going to sleep at all. Other victims may need a particular environment where they feel safe to fall asleep.

Sexual trauma can also cause nightmares, making it difficult to stay asleep, go back to sleep after waking, or even go to sleep in the first place.

Increased Likelihood of Behavioral Problems

Childhood victims of sexual abuse have a significantly increased likelihood of criminal behavior as adolescents. They also have increased instances of drug abuse, increased likelihood of teen pregnancy, and higher levels of hyper-sexualized behavior in adolescent and adult years.

These behavior problems can also lead to academic difficulties, struggles in school, and difficulty in structured settings, especially if victims of childhood sexual abuse do not receive proper attention and counseling.

Increased Likelihood of Eating Disorders

Eating disorders, including restrictive disorders like anorexia and severe overeating, typically arise from feeling a lack of control. Victims of sexual abuse often feel they have no control over their circumstances, including the events that led up to the assault.

As a result, they may engage in disordered eating patterns to control their lives. Eating disorders can cause unhealthy weight loss or gain, heart problems, and an ongoing lack of energy.

Increased Substance Abuse Challenges

To dull difficult memories or improve sleep, many victims of sexual abuse choose to self-medicate. They often have higher risks of ongoing substance abuse and may struggle to free themselves from the impacts of those substances, especially after long-term use.

Pregnancy

In some cases, sexual abuse can lead to pregnancy. Often, a woman may struggle with an unwanted pregnancy, especially if pregnancy progresses past the point of termination before acknowledgment or before the victim reports the sexual abuse. Pregnancy can further take away a woman's sense of control over her own body after sexual abuse.

Sexual Function Challenges

After a sexual assault or abuse, many people struggle to resume normal sexual activity, even with a trusted partner. In some cases, this can pose substantial difficulty in building or maintaining relationships following the assault.

A victim of sexual assault may have both physical and emotional struggles in resuming normal sexual function following abuse.

Relationship Difficulties

After suffering from sexual abuse, many people struggle to trust others in the same position as the abuser. For example, victims of childhood sexual abuse may struggle with trusting other adults in positions of authority over them. Even after growing up, adult victims of childhood sexual trauma may struggle to trust coaches and teachers in positions of responsibility over their children.

Victims may also struggle with relationship difficulties following sexual abuse. For example, they may show reluctance to engage in a romantic relationship following abuse from another partner or choose to disengage from contact with friends and relatives of the same gender as the abuser.

The Impact of Shared Sexual Images

When someone takes photos or videos of you without your consent, you may feel degraded and embarrassed. However, when those photos and videos get spread beyond the immediate abuser, it can have an even more serious impact on your life.

Once those photos get posted online, you cannot control who sees them. This can hurt your ability to obtain future jobs, dating relationships in the future, and your relationships with other family members and friends, especially if they view those photos.

The humiliation, shame, and loss of reputation often follow victims long after the event itself, leaving them with ongoing emotional and financial challenges related to the incident.

What Is the Age of Consent in Tampa, Florida?

The legal age of consent in Tampa and all other parts of Florida is 18. This means that individuals who are 17 and younger cannot legally consent to sexual intercourse. However, Florida is a state that has what is called a Romeo and Juliet law, which reduces penalties for individuals who are close to one another's age.

For example, Florida Statute 794.05 states that "A person 24 years of age or older who engages in sexual activity with a person 16 or 17 years of age commits a felony of the second degree."

Hence, if a 16-year-old girl engages in a sexual relationship with a 25-year-old man, her parents can file a police report and lawsuit against the man, leading to a second-degree felony charge.

However, a different outcome may occur if the man is 21 years old and the girl is 17. The Romeo and Juliet Law protects those who are younger than 24 years of age but older than 18 as long as they engage in a consensual sexual relationship.

Our attorneys can review how this law applies to your sexual abuse case if you or your child was 17 or younger when it happened. Allow our Tampa sexual abuse attorneys to evaluate your case.

Seeking Compensation for Sexual Abuse

Sexual abuse cases can prove difficult to prosecute, especially with no available DNA evidence. However, an inability to prosecute your abuser criminally does not necessarily mean you cannot seek financial compensation for the abuse you faced or the financial difficulties arising from that abuse.

The compensation you can receive will vary, and an attorney cannot offer you any guarantees about the compensation you receive. However, an attorney can calculate the damages you suffered at the hands of your abuser and prepare a personal injury claim seeking the compensation you deserve.

Consider these key elements of your claim:

• Medical expenses for any injuries you suffered. Sexual abuse can cause a wide range of physical injuries and leave you with STDs that cause long-term medical and financial impacts. You can calculate your medical expenses directly based on what medical bills you faced after the assault, and your lawyer can calculate the long-term financial impact of your injuries. Medical expenses include any medical treatment for injuries incurred during the abuse. You should also include compensation for counseling and therapy.
• Lost income. Following sexual abuse, you may need time off work to recover. In some cases, you may need medical treatment before returning to work. In other cases, you may need time to recover from the abuse, especially if you now suffer from PTSD, depression, or anxiety. Some victims of sexual abuse struggle to return to work at all following an assault, especially if the assault was connected to their work. As a result, these victims may face lost earning potential and a need to receive training for a different job or position.
• Loss of enjoyment. Loss of sexual enjoyment can cause serious problems for many victims of sexual abuse. You can include that loss of enjoyment as part of your claim. In an established relationship, the victim may also claim loss of consortium, or the loss of the relationship, connection, and companionship shared with a partner following a sexual assault.
• Loss of reputation. When someone shares photos or videos of you online without your consent, it can cause a substantial loss of your reputation. Viewing those photos can change the way others view you in a personal or professional setting. Even if you take steps to remove those photos and videos as soon as possible, they can still impact your life long after the assault. Claiming loss of reputation can provide some financial support during this difficult period of your life.
• Humiliation. Sexual abuse often causes a sense of humiliation that can be hard for victims to move past. Many victims suffer from an ongoing sense of shame that can cause substantial, ongoing suffering in many different areas of their lives. While claiming compensation for that humiliation may not help you overcome it, it can provide you with funds to move forward with your life.

Who Can You Sue for Sexual Abuse in Tampa?

Once you have decided to seek compensation for your suffering, your Tampa personal injury lawyer will be responsible for establishing liability. Proving that another party's negligence or misconduct caused the sexual abuse you suffered is of utmost importance.

Of course, you will want to ensure your abuser is held accountable. But there may be other parties who also share liability for your damages.

Some of the other parties you may name in your case can include:

• School administrators
• Other school staff
• The school district
• Community program leaders
• Adults who supervise your children
• Property owners
• Other third parties

Only an in-depth investigation into how your sexual abuse occurred will determine who should be compelled to cover your damages so you can begin to rebuild your life. Find out more about who may be at fault for the sexual abuse you endured when you contact a Tampa sexual abuse attorney to discuss the details of your case further.

So, Am I Eligible to File a Sexual Abuse Case?

While everyone should be eligible to file a case after sexual abuse, the legal process does not always work this way. Therefore, you must ensure that your sexual abuse claim is valid and that your case has a good chance of being successful. This can be very difficult as everyone's case is unique and different.

If you want to find out if you are eligible to file a sexual abuse case, you should consult with a Tampa sexual abuse lawyer from Dolman Law Group to begin going over the facts and details of the incident that occurred.

These types of cases can be very complex, but with our help and guidance, you will learn your rights and the legal options that are available to you. If you decide to proceed with a claim, we will work with accountants and other professionals to calculate and determine your expected compensation.

While we understand that you may never fully return to being the person you were before the incident, our attorneys firmly believe that holding the perpetrator accountable for their actions significantly contributes to your healing process. It also ensures peace of mind, knowing that others will be protected and spared from experiencing the pain you endured.

What Type of Evidence Will Benefit My Sexual Abuse Case?

To successfully file a lawsuit for sexual abuse, you must present substantial evidence proving that you experienced sexual abuse. This aspect of the process can be stressful and overwhelming, as it may be confusing what evidence to use and how to gather it. It can also lead to difficult and troubling emotions while reviewing and preserving evidence.

Fortunately, your Tampa sexual abuse lawyer will guide you along the way, aiding in finding and collecting the specific evidence and information needed to support your side of the story.

Some of the key evidence pieces that may benefit your sexual abuse case include:

• Photographs
• Videos
• Eyewitness statements
• Police reports
• Screenshots
• Text messages
• Voicemails
• Emails
• Medical records
• Doctor notes and statements
• Medical bills and receipts
• Documentation
• Psychologist and counselor reports

You may have no problem gathering some of this evidence and giving it to your attorney, while you may need your lawyer's help requesting and obtaining other information.

For example, you may need your lawyer to submit a subpoena requesting the perpetrator's phone records. This situation may arise if someone requests you to delete specific text messages where the perpetrator was discussing the sexual act with you.

Your attorney can get the perpetrator's text message records, revealing what was said to you through text message, and use it as evidence against them.

What If I Don't Have Much Physical Evidence or Injuries?

Sexual abuse is a terrible act that our lawyers take seriously at all times. Therefore, whether or not you have much physical evidence or injuries does not take away your right to file a lawsuit and get the justice you deserve. Our team is here to ensure accountability for the responsible party and secure justice for violating your civil rights.

Many people feel confused, intimidated, frightened, and embarrassed after sexual abuse. Sometimes, people know the perpetrator personally, making them reluctant to take legal action.

However, you need to know that our attorneys are understanding, compassionate, empathetic, and sensitive to any information you share with us, and we will remain in your corner, helping you navigate this tough and complicated process every step of the way.

At Dolman Law Group, we have our clients' best interests in mind, striving to find and gather any possible evidence to support your case.

If you think you do not have enough physical evidence or injuries, we will develop a strategy to get the necessary information and documentation.

When one of our clients faces wrongdoing, our sexual abuse lawyers don't relent—they fight for justice. We have experience, skill, and knowledge in these cases and will find a way to get everything we need to legally succeed.

Will My Sexual Abuse Case Go to Trial?

Parties settle most sexual abuse cases outside of court. This means that both parties can reach a fair and just settlement before the case makes it to a court hearing. However, this does not automatically mean that your sexual abuse case will not go to trial.

Our Tampa sexual abuse lawyers always prepare our cases and clients for trial, even if that never happens. This ensures that we are ready if your case makes it to that step in the legal process and gives us leverage and an advantage when it does.

Our team never encourages or pressures our clients into thinking they must take a settlement, especially if we believe they deserve more money for what they have endured. However, we are also fully aware of the fact that a court hearing can bring more stress, intimidation, and fear to victims of sexual abuse.

Our Tampa sexual abuse attorneys will review your potential legal options and assist in deciding what is best for you and your family. If you take your case to trial, our team will aid in preparing before the trial date.

Sexual Abuse Is Never Your Fault

When someone undergoes the trauma of sexual abuse, a common initial reaction involves grappling with the haunting question of whether they were somehow to blame or played a role in the incident.

We want to emphasize that, regardless of the circumstances surrounding your case, sexual abuse is never the fault of the victim.

You hold no responsibility for what occurred – you did absolutely nothing wrong. Instead, it's essential to recognize yourself as a survivor and wield your legal rights to fight back against this egregious injustice.

When you turn to our team during this challenging period, we stand ready to provide a guiding hand. We aim to restore your voice, empower you to speak out, and hold accountable those who committed this horrific act.

Through our support and experience, we strive to offer you the strength and resources needed to navigate this difficult journey toward justice and healing.

What If I Suspect That Someone Else Is Being Sexually Abused?

If you observe warning signs or have a suspicion that someone might be undergoing sexual abuse, your awareness can be a vital step in offering support and guidance. There are critical steps you can take to potentially assist them and direct them toward the right resources. Here are a few simple yet impactful actions you can consider:

• Communicate, approach, and talk with the victim: The first step is to communicate, approach, and talk with the victim if possible. You want to ensure that you are both in a safe place and that the individual does not feel threatened when you talk to them. You should talk gently and never force them to tell you anything they do not want to or are uncomfortable discussing. However, you should let them know you are there for them and available to talk if they need to. If they do confide and open up to you about the sexual abuse incident, remember to never show any signs of judgment. You should avoid blaming anyone even if you become angry and want to point fingers. All you need to do during this moment is show the victim you are concerned about them and looking out for them. Remember that this conversation is not easy for them, and they are likely terrified and confused about what to do or where to turn.
• Report what you know or what the victim said to the police: Before you go directly to the police, you should let the victim know that you plan to seek help. They may not want you to tell anyone, but you must tell them you are worried about their safety and well-being and only want what is best for them. When you make the phone call and the police report, you will need to give the victim's name and contact information, explain what type of sexual abuse is occurring, discuss how you know the victim, and state where you got this information from.
• Provide the victim with resources that they can use: You always want to provide victims of sexual abuse with resources that they can use. They may not know who to contact or where to get the help they need. That said, giving resources will help tremendously. A few of the resources you can recommend to sexual abuse victims in Florida include the following:
  • The Florida Council Against Sexual Abuse
  • Florida Department of Health, The Center for Abuse & Rape Emergencies, Inc.
  • Safe Place and Rape Crisis Center, Inc.
  •  The Florida Abuse Hotline.
  • For Tampa specifically, you should use the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay, 2-1-1 Tampa Bay Cares, and The Spring of Tampa Bay.

Tampa Sexual Abuse FAQs

For too long, the nationwide problem of sexual abuse has remained largely hidden, but sexual abuse is a serious problem in our society. Sadly, most victims have suffered in silence and isolation in the past. Victims may suffer from fear, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

According to the Rape Abuse Incest National Network (RAINN), an American is sexually assaulted every 68 seconds, and many of these victims are children. Acts of sexual abuse are crimes. However, victims of sexual abuse may also file lawsuits in civil court.

Financial compensation will not make the trauma disappear, but it can help survivors get the care and services they need to heal. Civil lawsuits offer a way for victims to hold the abuser accountable and start to rebuild their lives.

If You Suffered Sexual Abuse in Tampa, Don't Wait to Come Forward

When you suffer sexual abuse or assault, you deserve justice for the crime committed against you, including compensation for the damages you suffered. Do not wait to come forward.

The sooner you contact a Tampa personal injury attorney, the sooner your attorney can start collecting evidence on your behalf, potentially increasing the odds that you will receive compensation for the full cost of your injuries.

With offices on both Florida coasts, Dolman Law Group has an office conveniently located near you. Call us at (813) 303-0916 today or contact us for your free, confidential consultation with an experienced member of our legal team.