Sexual assault or sexual abuse victims can bring a personal injury lawsuit in civil court against the perpetrator. Sexual assault lawsuits can also be brought against third parties such as schools, employers, churches, etc., if their negligence allowed the assault or abuse to occur. Over the last decade there has actually been a wave of new laws passed in many states making it much easier for victims of childhood sexual abuse to file civil lawsuits even years after the abuse occurred.
In this post, we will explain how civil lawsuits for sexual assault work and how they differ from criminal proceedings. We will also look at some of the new laws expanding the rights of victims to bring these cases.