Sexual Abuse Crime Victim Rights

Sexual abuse in hospitals, residential care facilities, and group homes is preventable.  Doctors, nurses, psychiatrists, psychologists, drug and alcohol counselors, social workers, and other related professionals involved in treatment have a duty to ensure a patient’s safety and utmost care.

In addition to children, we represent adults and their surviving families who have been victimized by violent crime (sexual assault, sexual abuse, rape, unlawful transmission of a sexually transmitted disease, murder, armed robbery, and other crimes). These crimes may consequently result in life-long suffering or even death of innocent victims and their families.

Premises Liability / Negligent Security – If a property owner or establishment has reason to suspect or knows that a crime will be committed on their grounds, the owner or establishment is required to take legal steps to prevent such crimes. If the property owner fails to fulfill their responsibility, they may be held responsible for damages resulting from said crimes committed on their property.

A property owner may be found responsible for crime taking place at or in their establishment if the owner fails to put adequate safeguards in place (i.e. faulty or defective door or window locks, absence of or insufficient alarm system, scant lighting, unmonitored or poorly patrolled parking lots, or improperly secured office buildings). Additionally, if an employee or person working for the property owner harms a visitor or tenant, the property owner may be liable. We represent victims of crimes that occur in:

Hotels and motels
Shopping centers, retail stores, and grocery stores
Apartment buildings
Restaurants and bars
Recreational facilities and amusement parks
Banks
Gas stations
Publicly-owned property (like parks and beaches)

You may be entitled to compensation for physical, emotional, and financial losses if you or a loved one has suffered a sexual assault, rape, or other violent crime on someone else’s property. Please call Crew Janci LLP, and will we do whatever we can to help you recover restitution for you or your family’s injuries.

Victims of Crime in the Workplace  – Assault, robbery, sexual assault, and rape can have severe consequences within a victim’s life – especially when it happens at the victim’s place of work. Federal and state employment laws prohibit workplace harassment which includes sexual harassment, sexual assault, and rape committed at work. In some cases, an employer may be liable for sexual harassment or assault committed at work, regardless of whether the assault was committed by a co-worker, manager, client, or customer.

Some types of companies work within dangerous industries or areas where the risk of an employee being attacked at work is evident. These companies have a duty to take reasonable steps in protecting their employees. If you or someone you care about has been harmed while on the job, contact Crew Janci LLP today. We are here to help.

Crime Victims’ Housing Rights – Sexual assault, sexual abuse, and rape can have debilitating and destabilizing effects on a survivor’s living situation. Under federal and state fair housing law, victims of discrimination, harassment, and sexual assault have certain rights and remedies to which they are entitled and by which they may seek redress. In some cases, a victim may need their landlord to approve certain safety accommodations, such as changing locks or installing additional lighting in shared common areas.

In other cases, a landlord or fellow tenant may be the source of harassment or abuse, and the victim may need to terminate the lease, compel the landlord to evict the perpetrator, or sue for compensatory and economic damages for harm they have suffered as a result of their landlord’s action or inaction. The attorneys at Crew Janci LLP work with survivors to analyze their needs and determine what, if any, redress is available. Please contact us to discuss your options.

Crime Victims’ Rights in Criminal Proceedings – All states and the federal government have passed laws designed to protect the rights of victims in criminal proceedings. A victim is usually defined as a person (or surviving relative of a person) who has been directly harmed by a crime committed by another and who participates as a witness in the criminal investigation or prosecution of the perpetrator. Generally speaking, crime victims are entitled to the following:

The right to be treated with dignity, respect, and sensitivity
The right to be informed
The right to be notified of important stages in the criminal proceedings
The right to be protected from threats, intimidation, and retaliation during criminal proceedings
The right to apply for compensation for out-of-pocket expenses resulting from the crime
The right to restitution from the offender
The right to prompt return of personal property
The right to a speedy trial
The right to speak and be heard during plea-bargaining, trial, and sentencing

Survivors may file civil suits against perpetrators and other responsible parties, regardless of the outcome or existence of a criminal prosecution. Through civil lawsuits, survivors of crime can seek monetary damages to help rebuild their lives.

Exposure to civil liability can be an extremely effective deterrent against future abuse and also provides a powerful incentive for landlords, employers, religious organizations, businesses, shopkeepers, and other proprietors that enact policies and safety measures to prevent future victimizations.

If you or someone you love has been a victim of crime, contact the attorneys at Crew Janci LLP to determine what legal remedies may be available to you under state or federal law.