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Sex crimes committed against children are among the most heinous imaginable. And for many survivors, the thought of facing their abusers again in order to take legal action can feel understandably overwhelming. A West Virginia child sexual abuse lawyer from Forbes Law Offices can help.
We are a law firm made up of compassionate and caring attorneys who will fight for you. If you or your child was the target of a child abuser, molester, or pedophile anywhere in the state of West Virginia, please get in touch by phone or our convenient online form. We’ll schedule you for a completely confidential, no-cost case evaluation.
Children are among the most vulnerable members of our population, and they deserve to be cared for and protected. That’s what makes childhood sexual abuse among the most abhorrent of crimes imaginable. Abuse, molestation, and rape rob children of their right to innocence, dehumanizing them and setting them up for a lifetime of mental and psychological trauma.
Even though children who are targeted by abusers have done nothing wrong, they are often left with crippling levels of shame. For small children who are in an unsafe situation, it can feel impossible to tell a safe or trusted adult what’s going on.
According to some estimates, only 38% of victims ever disclose to another person that they’ve been abused. Even fewer make reports to the police. Because of the low report rate, many people don’t even realize that rape is a more significant issue among minors under the age of 17 than it is for adults.
As a law office, our goal is to recover monetary damages from those who either harmed or failed to protect your child or failed to protect you when you were just a child yourself. While we know that this cannot undo the past, holding those who harmed you or who permitted abuse to occur legally responsible for their actions is often a key part of the healing process.
Understanding the scope and magnitude of childhood sexual abuse is key to more than just fighting for survivors—it’s also key to the prevention of future abuse. However, we want to be clear that victims and their families should never fault themselves for any type of harm or abusive behavior that another person has committed. The fault always lies with the perpetrator, not with the survivor.
With that in mind, let’s consider some of the following data collected by the National Center for Victims of Crime (NCVC):
No two children are alike, which means that no two victims will exhibit the same warning signs that they are being hurt. If you are a parent, have younger siblings, or are a guardian to minors, it is important that you learn to recognize the possible signs that your loved one is being hurt.
Some of the most common signs of sexual abuse among children include:
One or two signs on their own aren’t necessarily an absolute indicator that abuse has or is currently taking place. However, never ignore any sudden, unexpected, or worrying changes in your child’s behavior. As soon as you notice that something might not be right, reach out for help.
Your child’s pediatrician or a therapist who is licensed to work with children may be able to help. We recommend making an appointment as soon as possible. And if you learn that the unthinkable has happened, Forbes Law Offices is here for you. You can schedule a completely free, confidential case evaluation with our law firm at any time.
Any child can become a victim of sexual abuse. If your child or teen tells you that someone has been hurting them, but they don’t have any of the following risk factors, believe them. Risk factors only tell us which children might have an increased chance of being targeted by abusers; they do not indicate that these are the only kids at risk.
Children all the way up to the age of 18 are at an elevated risk of being sexually abused if they meet any of the following criteria:
Whenever possible, minimizing risk factors can help protect your child from being targeted by abusers and perpetrators of forced sexual acts, such as molestation and rape.
Victims of childhood sexual abuse are often forced to endure unthinkable acts in places that should have been safe for them. At Forbes Law Offices, our legal team is proactive in identifying and holding accountable the institutions and entities that allow, permit, or encourage any kind of sexual abuse, mistreatment, or harm against children.
These may include:
Our team of West Virginia childhood sex abuse attorneys also have the investigative skills and litigation background that is necessary to hold predatory clergy members responsible for the harm they’ve caused.
Childhood sexual abuse cases can be difficult to prove, especially if it has been years or decades since the abuse in question took place. And, in many situations, doubt is unfairly cast on victims, with the benefit of the doubt being granted to the abuser.
Our West Virginia child sexual abuse attorneys understand the importance of providing reliable, trustworthy, and discreet legal representation.
With every case we take, we are dedicated to helping children who have endured the unthinkable.
Our dedication to our clients is unrivaled. Because many survivors of childhood abuse do not take action until adulthood, evidence has often eroded or even disappeared by the time that we meet for the first time. While this can create a hurdle in the legal process, it doesn’t stop us from building the strongest possible cases. Your legal team will work tirelessly to uncover and corroborate the evidence needed to prove your claim.
You might have felt alone when you were a child, but it is our goal to make sure that you never feel that way again. When you choose to work with a West Virginia childhood sexual abuse attorney from Forbes Law Offices, you’ll have the constant support and guidance of a legal team that cares about you and the outcome of your case.
Your first case evaluation is always free, confidential, and free of any obligations. To speak with an attorney who is best suited to handle your case, please contact us so that we can schedule your informational meeting at a time that works best for you.
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