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Ask any victim of sex abuse and the one thing they truly want is justice. After months, years or even decades of silence, a sex abuse victim wants to be heard, to know that the abuser is taking responsibility for his or her actions and will never hurt another person or child again.
Filing criminal charges might help in the sense that the abuser is held to account for his or her crimes. However, the reality is that the burden of proof in a criminal case is the highest burden imposed in our justice system.
The “beyond a reasonable doubt” standard imposed in criminal cases means that a defendant who is actually guilty might go free because there is not enough evidence to convict. This is especially so in cases where there is no physical evidence, there are no eyewitnesses, and/or it is a case of credibility – “he said, she said.” In general, juries have a hard time convicting any defendant in “he said, she said” cases, without additional evidence.
What this means is that a criminal sex abuse case may be unsuccessful. Justice, however, does not end with a criminal case. A civil case can achieve what a criminal cannot.
Justice in a sex abuse case may result in real change at a place like a school, church or organization which protected the abuser. For example, in a case where a school or youth organization failed to train its employees about a sex abuse reporting policy or worse, failed to even have one, a civil sex abuse case may result in a new policy or better training practices. These kinds of steps can help to prevent sex abuse in the future and these are the kinds of things that only a civil case can accomplish.
More Sex Abuse Legal Articles:
- Pennsylvania Child Sex Abuse Law: The Statute of Limitations
- Steps Involved in a Pennsylvania or New Jersey Child or Priest Sex Abuse Civil Lawsuit
Sex Abuse Lawyer in Pennsylvania & New Jersey CALL Click To Call
LBK handles sex abuse cases in the Northeast area with offices in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York. Attorneys at the firm are licensed in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. For more information, contact Guy D’Andrea, a Pennsylvania and New Jersey sex abuse lawyer and former sex crimes unit prosecutor.
The firm has the resources and experience to handle school sex abuse cases in all states and welcomes calls from local counsel about potential cases. Click To Call
**This website does not provide legal advice. Every case is unique and it is crucial to get a qualified, expert legal opinion prior to making any decisions about your case. See the full disclaimer at the bottom of this page.
