Sexual abuse is a horror that no one should be forced to endure. If someone has sexually abused you, you deserve a safe space to share your story and someone to help you explore your options for legal recourse. At White Law PLLC, our Holland sexual abuse lawyer is committed to helping you recover compensation for your losses and bring accountability to those who abused you.
We understand that surviving sexual abuse and facing your abuser can leave you feeling further vulnerable and exposed. The Holland personal injury lawyer with our firm takes additional precautions in our practice to increase the security of your information by keeping everything secured in cloud storage. This means there are no paper records to lose, and we can more closely control who has electronic access to your information.
Holland Sexual Abuse
Sexual abuse occurs in all types of people, including adults, children, women, and men. When we talk about sexual assault, it is critical to understand how prevalent the problem is in Waterford and any other city. The Rape Abuse Incest National Network (RAINN) reports that an American is sexually assaulted every 68 seconds, and out of the 10% of reported assaults, only about 2.5% of sexual abusers will end up in prison.
Conviction and incarceration rates are dishearteningly low, and this can often be attributed to how the justice system treats survivors and handles cases. Survivors often report that fear of not being believed or retaliation contributes to their decision not to report their abuse. Additionally, the legal process can require you to recount your abuse many times to many people, and it is normal to want to avoid that.
Countless social challenges accompany disclosures of sexual abuse, and our sexual abuse lawyer in Holland, MI, sees how it affects survivors. It is horrific to think that someone in your community is committing such a heinous act. When survivors come forward, it forces friends and family to really consider those in their lives, which can lead them to lash out, leaving the survivor to feel even more isolated and vulnerable.
Your Fight Is Our Fight
Understanding Sexual Abuse
Sexual abuse covers a broad range of behaviors and can happen in any setting. While most people may think it is limited to intercourse or penetration, survivors know that countless other behaviors can leave you feeling just as violated. Some examples of behavior that a Holland sexual abuse attorney may see include:
- Any form of sexual contact without consent is sexual assault or abuse whether the person withdrew consent, did not give consent, or was unable to due to incapacitation, inebriation, or legal standing
- Coerced sexual contact through persistent asking
- Coercion through abuse of power, a situation that our team often sees
- Groping or fondling for sexual gratification
- Unwanted sexually explicit messages, statements, or videos
- Subjecting someone to self-stimulation for sexual gratification
Statutory Rape and Consent
The term ‘statutory rape’ refers to sexual contact or intercourse where the younger or more vulnerable party technically consents but is otherwise not legally able to do so. A more commonly seen example of this in Michigan is a sex act involving individuals under 16 as designated by Section 750.520d of Michigan Legislation.
In some cases where one person is under 16, but the actor is not more than four years older, they may face reduced charges, according to RAINN.
We’re not just lawyers. We’re passionate advocates who will ensure that your voice is heard and your rights are protected.
Lasting Effects of Sexual Abuse
As a society, most of us know that sexual abuse has lasting effects, but it takes someone with true passion and experience to understand just how deep those effects can go.
Many people experience some of the more talked about parts, like anxiety or depression, but many others may be overlooked. The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists reports some of the below as manifestations of childhood sexual abuse:
- Eating disorders
- Pelvic Pain
- Obesity
- Substance Use and Abuse
- Increased incidents of revictimization
- Sexual dysfunction
- Sexual hyperactivity
These symptoms can affect every aspect of your life, from living in pain to urinary issues, legal issues, and other health problems. Difficulty with anxiety, depression, and self-image can leave you unable to maintain healthy relationships or stable employment. Surviving sexual abuse, especially abuse that began or happened in childhood, can alter the trajectory of your entire course of life.
We understand that you may be going through a difficult situation and we are ready to help however we can.
Compensation in a Holland Sexual Abuse Case
Compensation is often a primary or secondary motivation to pursue a civil lawsuit against the person who abused you. Many components to valuing and assessing damages in a case like this make it nearly impossible to value without thorough consideration. However, some of those include are:
- Medical costs
- Mental health therapy costs
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of income or earning potential
- Decreased quality of life
- Lost wages
The compensation you ultimately agree on or the amount the judge awards can vary greatly depending on the strength of your case, the way it affected your life, and other factors. For example, if you carried a 4.0 GPA and a high-paying internship and then suffered abuse at your college, which caused you to drop out and lose your job, you may be able to recover additional compensation for lost earning potential.
If you have specific questions about the damages you may claim, your sexual abuse attorney in Holland, MI, is the best person to ask.
You will always work directly with your attorney throughout your case.
Call our Sexual Abuse Attorney in Holland Today
Our firm offers free case consultations, and you are not obligated to proceed if you are not comfortable. We accept payment on a contingency basis, meaning you will not rack up legal bills without recovering compensation. Our team values your decisions and inclusion in your case, so call our sexual abuse attorney in Holland today.
Determining what you want from life following sexual abuse can take months or years to do. It is not uncommon for survivors of sexual abuse to hold on to their abuse for years before they come forward. When you are ready, White Law PLLC will be here to listen.
We’re Experienced. We Care.
We Exceed Client Expectations.
