Virginia Athletic Sexual Abuse Lawyer

A sports scandal that has featured prominently in the news in recent years is sexual abuse perpetrated against student-athletes by coaches and trainers. Coach sexual abuse has been reported in a variety of sports, including gymnastics, football, and track and field.

If you are the victim of athletic sexual abuse, you could be entitled to pursue a civil lawsuit against your abuser with the help of a motivated sex abuse attorney. If your civil lawsuit is successful, you could recover a substantial monetary award as well as the knowledge that you held them accountable for their abuse. A Virginia athletic sexual abuse lawyer could serve as your advocate and help you secure the justice you deserve.

Risk of Abuse in Sports

The unfortunate reality of child sports is that abusers often have substantial, unsupervised access to the children they target. Parents routinely put their trust in their child’s coach or athletic trainer. Unfortunately, this trust is frequently misplaced.

These risks are compounded by the reality that many schools and athletic institutions do not take the necessary steps to ensure a child’s safety from abuse. A school might even look the other way in hopes of avoiding the situation entirely.

Sexual abuse in sports is not limited to children. Many adults involved in collegiate, amateur, and even professional sports have been subjected to assault, abuse, or harassment by their coaches or trainers. This abuse is hard to avoid, given the power disparity between coaches and players. A compassionate attorney in Virginia could help hold these coaches accountable for their sexual misconduct.

Accountability through a Civil Lawsuit in Virginia

The most common way that survivors hold their abusers accountable is through the criminal justice system. The penalties associated with this system can be steep, including extensive time behind bars. However, the criminal justice system does not always result in fair or reasonable results. In some cases, the state may decide they simply do not have enough evidence to bring criminal charges against the abuser. No matter how the survivor feels about it, this could be the end of any chance of criminal prosecution.

A civil lawsuit gives survivors a second avenue to obtain justice. Instead of jail time or fines, a civil lawsuit could result in monetary damages paid directly to the abuser. A civil sexual abuse lawsuit spearheaded by a competent lawyer is that it could target not only the abuser but also any institutions that allowed them to prey on athletes as well. A lawsuit could be targeted at a sports team, school, or other organization. This could not only hold the abuser accountable but also force these organizations to reconsider their policies and actions.

The compensation associated with these abuse claims could be significant. If successful, a survivor could recover compensation for their medical expenses as well as for their mental and physical pain. If the abuse caused them to be unable to maintain a job, their lost wages could also be recovered through the lawsuit.

Reach Out to a Virginia Athletic Sexual Abuse Attorney Today

If you are a survivor of athletic sexual abuse, you deserve to have your voice heard. A civil lawsuit could provide you with a measure of justice as well as the financial compensation necessary to help you face your trauma in the future.

Let a Virginia athletic sexual abuse lawyer help you pursue your case. Reach out today to set up a private consultation.