Sadly, sexual assault is something that still occurs frequently across the United States. Those aged between 12 and 34 have the highest risk of being subjected to this type of violence, but people of any age can and do, unfortunately, suffer as victims of sexual assault. The experience has the potential to cause emotional issues that alter a person’s outlook irrevocably due to the trauma that occurred.
If you or a loved one has been a victim of sexual assault in the past, you may be hesitant to file a lawsuit. This may be because you are worried about going through the process of re-living the trauma and having to deal with the memories of the event for a significant amount of time. You may also think that a lawsuit would be pointless because no amount of legal justice will ever allow you to emotionally heal.
While these arguments may hold true, many victims do gain a sense of closure when their abuser is held responsible for his or her actions. In addition, taking action could help other people suffering at the hands of the abuser, and this could give the victim some sense of peace.
Understanding civil lawsuits
Filing a civil lawsuit works in a different way from filing a criminal complaint. A criminal sexual assault trial can sometimes lead to an examination of even the tiniest detail in the victim’s life in an attempt to reach a “not guilty” verdict. However, in a civil sexual assault lawsuit, the burden of proof is lower. This means that the alleged crime only needs to be shown to be more likely to be true than to not be true. That changes the way evidence is presented and examined in a way that can make the process slightly less burdensome to an accuser.
It’s possible to sue to get justice
The act of suing a person is not always with the intent to gain monetary damages from them. It can also be to simply get justice. You may want to sue your abuser for false imprisonment, intentional infliction of emotional distress, or assault or battery.
If you or a loved one has suffered due to sexual abuse, you should take the time to think about the legal options that you have. The act of taking legal action may help you to heal from the trauma that you have suffered.
