Sexual Abuse Lawyer Scarborough
At the core of all instances of sexual abuse lies an inherent imabalance of power. Perpetrators of sexual abuse often seek out employment or volunteer opportunities in settings where they will hold a certain degree of authority over younger or more vulnerable individuals.
Sexual abusers exploit their positions of authority and the trust placed in them by their victims in order to engage in non-consensual sexual activities. Children are not legally capable of providing consent for sexual conduct, nor are teenagers who have exceeded the age of consent capable of consenting to sexual activities with someone in a position of authority or trust or upon whom they are dependent. These might include:
- Teachers
- Sports coaches
- Priests
- Other religious figures
- Camp counselors
- Extra-curricular program administrators
- Scouts leaders
- Juvenile detention centre guards
- Orderlies at psychiatric facilities
- And others
The perpetrators of this reprehensible crime often use psychologically manipulative tactics to convince their victims that engaging in these non-consensual activities is socially acceptable. They might threaten, bully, or shame their victims into silence so that their crimes will go unnoticed by the victim’s parents, classmates, peers, or their own employers. In fact, 93% of Canadian victims of childhood sexual abuse kept silent about their mistreatment and did not report their abuse police or child protection services before the age of 15.
As a result of this physical abuse and psychological manipulation by someone the victim thought they could trust and depend on, survivors of sexual abuse often develop severe, potentially debilitating mental health issues. The trauma they endured and the negative coping mechanism they develop to try dealing with their past can have real-world effects on their abilities to form social and romantic relationships, complete educational opportunities, maintain steady employment, and achieve financial stability.
In Scarborough, local resources exist to help adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse work through their trauma. Additionally, survivors of sexual abuse may decide to pursue legal action against their abuser (and, in certain cases, against their employer or another contributorily negligent party) in an attempt to recover compensation for financial losses they have incurred as a result of the abuse to which they were subjected.
By working with our Scarborough sexual abuse lawyers, survivors in the local community may be able to file a civil claim to pursue compensation. Since there is no statute of limitations on sexual abuse claims in Ontario, our sexual abuse lawyers serving Scarborough may be able to provide you with crucial legal support regardless of how far in the past your abuse took place. To learn more about options for financial recovery that might be available to you, call 1-800-JUSTICE or contact our Scarborough sexual abuse lawyers online and receive a free initial consultation on your case.
Learn How Preszler Injury Lawyers May Be Able to Assist You
Our sexual abuse lawyers serving Scarborough are standing by to answer your questions and to provide you with personalized legal feedback tailored to the unique circumstances of your case. Our Scarborough sexual abuse lawyers appreciate how difficult it can be to talk about traumatizing experiences from the past. At Preszler Injury Lawyers, we provide all prospective clients with a free initial consultation, during which they can feel safe to share as many or as few personal details as they wish.
To receive case-specific feedback from our sexual abuse lawyers serving Scarborough, call 1-800-JUSTICE.
