Does a Sexual Assault Victim Have Limited Time to Bring Their Claim?
Every single day, all over the world, there are victims of sexual assault or sexual violence. This is something that has yet to be put a stop to, and as much as authorities are trying their best to protect and keep their citizens safe, there are some states that it persists in. RAINN, which is one such institution that is helping victims of these types of unfortunate incidences, and as per their website, an American is assaulted every 73 seconds. Victims of such instances are typically aged 12 and above and on average there are 434,648 victims of either rape or sexual assault every year in the United States. Find out more about this on their website.
The victims who suffer this trauma often have life long physical and mental side-effects. It could be anything from unwanted contact or touching, harassment, and rape. If you did not consent it, it would fall under this category. Under the law, an adult who does all or one of the above actions towards a minor is always at fault because there is no possible legal consent, due to the adult being older and in a position of trust. Talk to an experienced sex assault lawyer if you have question about your reporting requirements.
For anyone who goes through this devastating ordeal, getting legal help is one of the most important things to do. This is because it is a crime. When something like this is reported, the culprit can be prosecuted under the justice system. In some cases, these incidences are punishable for a term of up to 5 years imprisonment. The Crown Prosecution Service has further information about this on their website https://www.cps.gov.uk/legal-guidance/rape-and-sexual-offences-chapter-11-youths
How Professionals Can Help Victims
Professionals such as attorneys and lawyers have typically had years of experience in handling all sorts of cases including sexual violence and crime. Sometimes some victims cannot legally consent and may be under the age such as young children and juveniles, in which case they too can help and provide the right guidance and advice.
The justice system can be daunting for any victim or any crime, and if you do not know the ropes, a lot of times, you may miss crucial information or points that will help you close your case successfully. Seeking the advice and direction of those who professionally handle these things can make a lot of difference to both victim and perpetrator.
To some, it may be surprising but the most common places that victims have been recorded to have been attached are an arm’s reach around us, our kids go to these schools, our residents get checked up in these hospitals and our parents go to these churches.
According to the criminal Justice System, some of the most common places that cases have been brought up against, include schools, colleges and universities, hotels, churches, taxis (private and public), Massage Parlors and facilities, Youth Sports Facilities and clubs, Businesses and offices of employment, Spas, gymnasiums, Daycare and children’s caring facilities, Concerts, parks to name a few.
Important Steps to Take As Soon As Possible
The legal system can be daunting to those who have suffered any type of harm, both mentally or physically, and to help you with this, some people are highly qualified at dealing with these cases and giving you the best advice possible when taking your attacker to court or otherwise.
First and foremost, getting hold of an attorney, after the medical examinations have been done, is recommended. Because every case is unique, time is of importance here. Whether you have had the assault a few years ago, of a few days ago, it does not matter, but the sooner you contact a sexual assault victim attorney Denver the better. One reason for this is the retention of information, details get blurred as time goes by, so when it is still easy to recollect, should one speak to a lawyer who can help and give your assistance on the next steps, and they know the right people to speak too as well such as guidance counselors and people in the care sectors.
So as far as the time limitations go, there is no specific amount to report it inside of, but as with any criminal incident, the sooner you report it and speak about it the better it will be to make sure it is handled to the utmost abilities by all parties involved.
Types of Damages covered
When claiming for an incident, thee are a few different types of claims that the attorneys will help you out with, these are Economic, Non-Economic, Punitive Damages.
Economic Damages in Sexual Assault Cases. Usually cover victims that have undergone specific damages, by this, we mean lost wages due to the incident, medical bills due to the same, prescription medication, any loss of earnings for instance. These include any out-of-pocket reimbursements caused by the attack.
Non-Economic. This includes any emotional and physical distress or pain, such as disability, impairment, harm to the body, injury to your reputation, loss of your job because of it, loss of any personal joy, for instance. It is a more general category, based on the incidents in question.
Punitive Damages. Are another way to punish the attackers, so that they do not do the same thing again. In Denver, this may be advantageous to the victim because they are sometimes awarded twice as much for damages as any other crimes. When acted in a “willful or malicious” manner, and they show no regard for their victim, this is when punitive damages come in play.
We hope this information above helps give you a basic idea of how the system works.