tag tag 9177935658

Over One Billion Recovered

Free Confidential Case Review, No Fees Unless We Recover For You

(212) 779-0057

Sexual Abuse Attorney in New York

If you are a survivor of abuse, the attorneys of Hach & Rose, LLP have the knowledge, skills, and experience required to hold the perpetrator accountable.

NY Adult Survivors Act Signed
Survivor Of Sexual Abuse?

Please visit our website dedicated to Sexual Abuse Survivors for more information

Visit Website

Sexual Abuse Attorney in New York

Table Of Contents

    New York Sexual Abuse Lawyers

    According to the U.S. Department of Justice’s National Sex Offender Public Website (NSOPW), approximately 1.8 million adolescents in the United States are victims of sexual assault. The organization also notes that roughly 20 million out of 112 million women in the U.S. have been raped in their lifetime, while 28 percent of male rape victims were first sexually abused when they were ten years old or younger.

    Sadly, only 16 percent of all rapes are reported to law enforcement.

    Are these statistics jarring? They should be.

    If you have survived sexual abuse, know that you need no longer suffer alone. With the compassionate support of our New York sexual abuse attorneys at Hach & Rose, LLP, you can fight back. We have years of experience representing survivors and can offer a helping hand when you need it most.

    Every day, innocent people fall victim to sexual abuse, and that’s one more person left scarred for life. Sexual assault is a crime that is punishable with prison time, fines, or both, but at the end of the day, victims are left with emotional, physical, and psychological trauma that can linger for decades afterward.

    If you or someone you love is a sexual abuse survivor, you may qualify for compensation. Contact our sexual abuse lawyers at (212) 779-0057 today for your free case evaluation.

    The Many Faces of Sexual Abuse

    Sexual abuse is an umbrella term that encompasses a wide number of improper sexual offenses that are performed on an individual when they haven’t given consent or are unable to. Because of this, almost any action that can be classified as sexual abuse can result in a sexual abuse claim so that the victim can receive justice and compensation.

    The following actions are frequently cited as cases of sexual abuse:

    • Unwanted Touching – When a perpetrator touches someone with their hands or another object in a sexual manner that is done without consent. This is a form of sexual abuse where a victim can file a sexual abuse claim through the civil court and try the offender in the criminal court.
    • Drug-Facilitated Assault – Mostly recognized as using drugs to render the victim unconscious of assaulting them sexually, a.k.a. date rape.
    • Intimate Partner Violence – Married couples and same-sex partners must also consent before initiating any sexual activity. Without consent, this type of behavior can be considered sexual abuse.
    • Rape – Sexual contact performed without consent. A rapist can be tried in criminal and civil courts for their actions.

    This is, by no means, an extensive list of sexual abuse encounters. Even if the form of sexual abuse you suffered is not listed above, you may still qualify to file a sexual abuse claim depending on the specifics of your case.

    Contact the New York sexual abuse attorneys at Hach & Rose, LLP to explore your options.

    Differences Between Civil & Criminal Court Regarding Sexual Abuse

    Often, the trauma of sexual abuse can stay with the survivor for years after it has occurred, leaving them with heavy financial debts incurred due to treating many of the lasting physical, emotional, and mental wounds sustained.

    But there is hope.

    Significant differences exist between civil and criminal court proceedings, but both can play their role in your healing process.

    In short, criminal charges are meant to punish the offender for the crime that was committed. Your abuser may pay high fines to the court, serve jail time, or both. The abuser is punished and prevented from committing further damage to the community, and the fines are paid to the criminal court.

    But what about you?

    Civil suits, on the other hand, focus solely on the victim of the crime and the physical harm, as well as the emotional damage that was done. This is where true justice comes into play. In a civil suit, you can obtain compensation for the pain and suffering you have endured as a result of sexual abuse.

    Whether you want to file a criminal or civil claim against your abuser, you can depend on the experienced sexual abuse attorneys at Hach & Rose, LLP. Do not hesitate to contact us today at (212) 779-0057.

    Speak With One of Our Team Members About Your Case Contact Us

    Red Flags of Potential Sexual Abuse

    If you suspect that your child, a family member, or a friend is enduring some form of sexual abuse, there are a few red flags that may signify your suspicions are correct, including:

    • A loss of appetite
    • Sudden depression or anxiety
    • Social isolation
    • Substance abuse
    • Self-harm (or thoughts of performing self-harm)
    • Diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection
    • Nightmares
    • Post-traumatic stress disorder

    It is also not uncommon for victims to suffer from age regression which is when someone reverts back to social and emotional behaviors that were present right around the time the incident occurred. It is worth noting that exhibiting only one of the red flags mentioned above may NOT mean that they were sexually abused. However, if they are exhibiting more than one, you may need to seek professional help to uncover the true cause of these changes to their personality.

    While perpetrators may not all act the same, there are some red flags that they may display which should not be ignored by family members concerned for the victim:

    • Disrespecting a victim’s boundaries
    • Discussing inappropriate topics with a victim without consent
    • Showing an inappropriate amount of sexual interest in the victim
    • Engaging in unwanted physical behaviors like:
      • Hugging
      • Kissing
      • Touching
      • Other unwanted physical contacts

    You need to take a few steps before reaching out to an experienced sexual abuse attorney. Be aware, however, that time is of the essence.

    What You Should Do If You Are a Victim of Sexual Abuse

    First, start off by making sure you — or your loved one — are safe.

    If your child is a victim of sexual abuse, you will want to remove him or her away from the location and situation where you believe the sexual abuse is occurring, such as:

    Religious Institutions

    Unfortunately, some religious leaders wrongly use their influence and the trust given to them to take advantage of children within their congregation. Because of their position in society, priests, ministers, rabbis, teachers, clergy, and other religious leaders are often trusted with the care and supervision of young members.

    It is under these conditions which many children are “groomed.”

    Oftentimes, families are unaware of the abuse and openly welcome the religious leader to spend time with their child, at times on a one-to-one basis.

    • Inappropriate touching, contact, or fondling of children
    • Drug/alcohol-facilitated assault
    • Forcing children to undress
    • Sexual harassment
    • Unwanted sexual advances
    • Forced sexual acts
    • Coerced sexual acts
    • Rape or attempted rape
    • Exposure of private parts to a victim
    • Taking sexualized pictures of a child
    • Sexual harassment and threats
    • Showing children pornography

    If you know or suspect any sexual abuse between a family member or child and a clergy member, you must report it to the proper authorities.

    Schools or Academies

    The demographic group of victims of school employee sexual misconduct or abuse can vary greatly. However, several studies have shown that low-income female high school students are most likely to experience sexual abuse by a school employee.

    As parents, it is important that we notice any unusual behavior in our children, including:

    • Nightmares or sleeping problems
    • Loss of appetite
    • Mood swings
    • Withdrawal
    • Unusual fear of a certain person or place
    • Dislikes physical contact
    • Draws, writes or talks about adult sexual behaviors

    Teens and adolescents may exhibit other out-of-character behaviors such as:

    • Running away
    • Becoming sexually promiscuous
    • Using drugs or alcohol
    • Appetite issues (excessive eating or dieting)
    • Psychological issues (anxiety or depression)

    Recognizing these cues can help parents or guardians to uncover the sexual abuse that is occurring. If you believe that your child is the survivor of abuse, it is important to:

    • Maintain your composure and do NOT overreact
    • Do NOT blame the victim for the abuse
    • Do NOT demand details
    • Do NOT minimize their experience
    • Listen calmly and attentively to understand the full story
    • Seek out medical care
    • Notify law enforcement and the appropriate child services
    • Seek assistance from trained professionals (i.e. psychologist/psychiatrist)

    If you or a loved one has fallen victim to a sexual predator, call us right now at (212) 779-0057 to schedule a FREE consultation.

    Foster Care

    Tragically, children in foster care are often the victims of sex abuse. Sometimes, the very individuals entrusted with caring for and raising a child are the ones who perpetrate heinous acts of child sex abuse against them. Legally speaking, no one is capable of consenting to sexual acts until they reach a certain age, which in New York is 17.

    Some of the most common types of child sex abuse that occur in foster care include:

    • Rape
    • Attempted rape
    • Kissing
    • Groping
    • Digital penetration
    • Indecent exposure to a child
    • Producing child pornography and forcing a child to participate in sex acts
    • Child sex trafficking

    When a child goes to live with foster parents, it is usually because of parental neglect and abandonment, parental drug abuse or incarceration, or the loss of the child’s biological parents. While many foster parents provide a loving, supportive environment for children in need, some use the system – which is frequently underfunded and understaffed – to take advantage of children.

    Children who are being sexually abused in foster care tend to be less likely to disclose the abuse because they simply don’t have another trusted adult in their life that they can turn to for help. They might also worry that their living situation could be threatened if they speak up.

    If you endured sex abuse while in the foster care system, you could be entitled to pursue a civil claim against the people who hurt you as well as the foster care agency. In the latter case, you will need to show that the agency was negligent in that they failed to place you in a secure home environment that was free from abuse. Examples of negligence include failure to run necessary background checks and failure to take action when evidence suggested that abuse was likely occurring.

    Foster care agencies and foster parents have an obligation to make sure that children have safe, stable housing. If you are a victim of foster care sex abuse, Hach & Rose, LLP can help you seek compensation for your losses.

    Youth Organizations

    A Friend’s House

    A Family Member’s House

    Bullying

    Sadly, children of all ages and grade levels can experience bullying at the hands of other children, especially when they are from a marginalized group. Bullying between students often occurs in schools and extracurricular programs and can take other forms, including sexual harassment. It is up to academic institutions to create a safe environment for all students, particularly children with disabilities, those who identify or present as LGBTQ, or who come from minority backgrounds.

    If your child has been bullied by another student, you could potentially hold your child’s school or academic institution accountable for failing to intervene. Some common examples of bullying include:

    • Punching and striking
    • Pushing and shoving
    • Tripping
    • Mocking and insulting
    • Using slurs or calling a student names
    • Shaming a student for their identity
    • Spreading false rumors about a student
    • Online bullying, referred to as “cyberbullying”

    Many students also experience harassment in school. While bullying and harassment are not the same, there is significant overlap between the two, and it is possible for bullying and harassment to occur at the same time. For example, if a student uses homophobic or transphobic slurs against an LGBTQ student, that would constitute both bullying and harassment.

    If your child tells you that they have been bullied or harassed in school, you should immediately notify the school administration. If the school fails to reply or neglects to thoroughly investigate and put a stop to the mistreatment, you could pursue a civil claim against the institution. You can use your initial communication with the school’s principal to show that the school was aware of the issue but failed to act.

    If your child is in a protected class and is subjected to harassment, you might have grounds to hold the academic institution responsible for violating your child’s federal civil rights. Students are protected from discriminatory harassment on the basis of race, color, weight, national origin, ethnic group, religion, religious practice, disability, sexual orientation, gender, and sex. When this kind of discrimination occurs, schools are legally bound to address it.


    Once the victim is in a safe environment, gently ask them about what it is you suspect is happening. At first, the victim may appear to be angry about the question or even outright deny it, but do not despair. This is a normal reaction.

    If they do, in fact, open up to you and confirm what you suspect, do not hesitate to contact the local authorities so that they can start the criminal investigation process. Make sure to also seek out medical care for the victim.

    New York Child Victims Act

    Thankfully, the New York Child Victims Act will be providing sexual abuse survivors with more time to file a suit against the perpetrator.

    The New York State Legislature passed the Child Victims Act in late January 2019.

    This bill eliminates the statute of limitation for prosecuting child sexual abuse crimes and filing civil lawsuits for damages against individuals, public institutions, and private institutions related to child sexual abuse.

    Under the new law:

    • Survivors who suffered sexual abuse as children can file civil lawsuits against abusers and institutions until they are 55. The previous limit of age stood at 23 years old.
    • There is a one-year “lookback window” during which sexual abuse survivors of any age or time limit can come forward to seek out legal prosecution against the perpetrator.
    • Victims whose cases were previously dismissed for statute of limitations reasons can bring a new lawsuit.
    • Victims whose cases were previously dismissed for failing to file a notice of claim or notice of intention to file a claim against a municipality can bring a new lawsuit.
    • Individuals who were abused at public institutions can now file lawsuits against the organization without having to submit a notice of claim or notice of intention to file a claim.
    • Survivors who suffered sexual abuse as children can file felony criminal charges against the offender until they turn 28.
    • Victims can seek misdemeanor charges against the offending party until their 25th birthday.
    • Law enforcement will now have more time to file charges against abusers.

    Enlist the aid of the New York Child Victims Act attorneys at Hach & Rose, LLP by calling (212) 779-0057.

    Types of Compensation for Sexual Abuse Claims

    Calculations determining the amount of compensation you qualify for will consider many different areas in which the victim is affected. What can make these types of cases difficult to calculate, however, is the non-economical, emotional damages that impact victims financially.

    Our skilled sexual abuse attorneys at Hach & Rose, LLP will help you accurately calculate all the damages you have suffered — be it physical, emotional, or mental — to estimate what your case is worth.

    While being compensated for sexual abuse won’t be the end of your healing process, it can help you by covering the following:

    • Relevant medical bills
    • Pain and suffering
    • Emotional therapy costs
    • Damages for emotional distress (e.g., Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder)
    • Diminished quality of life

    Contact our caring, dedicated, and experienced sexual abuse attorneys at Hach & Rose, LLP by calling us today at (212) 779-0057 for your free case evaluation.

    Sexual Abuse Articles

    June 3, 2023
    New York Urologist Accused of Multiple Sexual Assaults on Patients, Including Minors
    Authorities have charged Dr. Darius Paduch, a prominent urologist associated with the New York-Presbyterian Weill…
    Read More
    July 14, 2021
    New Sex Abuse Allegations Against The Buffalo Diocese
    The Buffalo Diocese of the Catholic Church has seen a wave of new sexual abuse…
    Read More
    June 30, 2021
    New York Child Sex Abuse Act Could Help Boy Scout Sex Abuse Victims Seek Justice 
    On the surface, the Boy Scouts of America seemed like an outstanding youth program that…
    Read More
    June 18, 2021
    Child Victims Act Results in a Flood of Claims in New York
    In 2019, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed a monumental legislation called the Child Victims…
    Read More
    July 7, 2020
    Deadline for filing child sexual abuse claim against the Boy Scouts announced
    by Hillary Nappi By now, you know that you’re not alone. If you were sexually…
    Read More
    January 6, 2020
    Identifying signs of sexual abuse in children and getting help
    It can be difficult to determine whether your child has been sexually abused, but there…
    Read More
    December 27, 2019
    Understanding Online Threats to Your Kids
    While the internet can be a great resource, it can also provide a risky environment…
    Read More
    December 4, 2019
    Sexual Abuse at Work: By the Numbers
    According to the 2019 definition from the United States Department of Justice, sexual assault is…
    Read More
    November 1, 2019
    The Impact of Sexual Assault on Survivors Is More Than Skin-Deep
    The impact of sexual assault is something that no one should ever have to experience.…
    Read More
    June 29, 2019
    Brooklyn, NY – Registered Sex Offender Arrested for Groping NYPD Traffic Agent
    Brooklyn, NY (June 28, 2019) – A man who has been arrested over 160 times…
    Read More
    June 8, 2019
    Rochester, NY – Sex Offender Who Posed as College Student Guilty of Sex Abuse
    Rochester, NY (June 7, 2019) – Authorities have announced that the registered sex offender who…
    Read More
    May 21, 2019
    Albion, NY – Corrections Officers Charged with Sexual Abuse of Inmates
    Albion, NY (May 21, 2019) – State police said that a corrections officer is now…
    Read More
    May 16, 2019
    Mott Haven, Bronx, NY – Man Arrested for Sexual Abuse of Hospital Patient
    Mott Haven, Bronx, NY (May 16, 2019) – A man who walked into a hospital…
    Read More
    May 10, 2019
    Convicted Drug Dealer Arrested for Child Sex Abuse
    Auburn, NY (May 10, 2019) – According to the Auburn Police Department, a convicted drug…
    Read More
    May 8, 2019
    Warren County, NY – Brant Lake Camp Counselor Guilty of Sexually Abusing Multiple Minors
    Warren County, NY (May 7, 2019) – The Brant Lake Camp counselor who was recently…
    Read More
    April 29, 2019
    Flushing, Queens, NY – Massage Parlor Employee Raped by Man Posing as Customer
    Flushing, Queens, NY (April 29, 2019) – The NYPD is currently searching for a man…
    Read More
    April 25, 2019
    Sound Beach, NY – Long Island Man Charged with Human Trafficking Out of Parent’s Basement
    Sound Beach, NY (April 25, 2019) – According to authorities, a man from Long Island…
    Read More
    April 19, 2019
    Schenectady, NY: Suspect Arrested for Rape at College Suites
    Schenectady, NY (April 18, 2019) – According to police, a 19-year-old man is currently in…
    Read More

    What a Sexual Abuse Attorney Can Do For You

    Hiring an experienced sexual abuse attorney is your best chance at regaining a certain level of peace in your life, especially after suffering from such a traumatic incident.That’s why you want a law firm that has the experience necessary to help you obtain justice and financial recovery. When you hire Hach & Rose, LLP, not only are you getting sexual abuse lawyers that know the ins-and-outs of related laws, you are also receiving the peace of mind knowing that you have advocates working in your best interest as you focus on healing.Contact our team today at (212) 779-0057, or fill out an contact request form for your free and confidential case review.

    Personal Injury Attorney Testimonials What Our Clients Say About the Attorneys at Hach & Rose, LLP

    Excellent lawyers! Top notch!!!

    - Becca

    Great lawfirm, with some truly amazing people working. Treat you like family even if that means tough love sometimes. Honest, professional, and thorough. I'll be back if ever needed.

    - Thomas Badzio

    I have worked with Ms. Constance Cooper on a number of cases and I have quite literally never met an attorney who gets as invested in a case as Ms. Cooper. She is passionate about getting her clients exactly what they deserve and is willing to put in any amount of time, effort, and research to ensure a case is handled not just with professionalism, but with perfection.

    - Katryna Spearman

    Hello folks, I hire this company in 2021 but because It was a hit and run which the company had to find the person (thank goodness I took a picture of the car plate) who did this and everything else it took time. The staff were prompt kept me informed on what was going on with my case. Mr. Rose personally called me quite often within the time frame to advise on the stages of my case which was favorable. I would highly recommended this company for representation you will not be disappointed!

    - Carmen Horton

    Nice people!!!!!!!

    - Theresa S

    Highly recommended!!

    - Ronit Levin Delgado
    Read More
    Conversion Pixel