New York Attorney for Sexual Abuse Victims

Item: The Law Office of Andrew Shubin
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Author: Tina L

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Sexual abuse can leave victims with lasting physical and psychological scars. Many people spend the rest of their lives trying to get over sexual abuse. While coming forward is often very difficult, doing so might help you find some closure. Talk to an attorney about your situation. You might be able to file a civil lawsuit against those responsible for the abuse.

Sexual abuse claims are often difficult to deal with because abusers often try to silence their victims. Abuse often happens in situations where abusers are in positions of power over victims. For example, abuse often occurs in school, from romantic partners, or in religious groups or organizations. Speaking out can be hard, and many wait years before coming forward. As such, lawmakers in New York have adjusted the statute of limitations for civil claims for sexual abuse. Now, many victims of abuse have 20 years to file their claims, and victims of childhood sexual abuse may have even longer. Once we file your case, you may recover damages for everything you have endured.

Call The Law Office of Andrew Shubin at (814) 826-3586 and ask our New York sexual abuse lawyers for a free case evaluation to begin.

Common Examples of Sexual Abuse Claims in New York

Sexual abuse is often difficult to comprehend because people dislike talking about it. While it can be very difficult to talk about sexual abuse, it is important to understand where and how it often occurs. Knowing this can help your attorney determine the best way to approach your case and how to plan legal strategies.

Abuse at School

Unfortunately, many cases of sexual abuse come from schools and universities. Many people have come forward, sometimes years after the abuse occurred, to report that a teacher, coach, professor, or administrator sexually abused them. In some cases, victims do not realize they are being abused. They might be deceived into believing their “relationship” with the abuser is consensual. Remember, if you were a child and a teacher abused you, you likely could not provide legal consent. Even if you could provide consent, like a college student whom a professor abused, the power dynamics of the relationship should be examined. For example, a college student might be too afraid to deny an abusive professor sexual intimacy because they fear retaliation.

Abuse From a Partner

Not all instances of abuse come from people with whom we are not exactly close. Sometimes, the people we are closest to turn out to be abusive. You might even be married to the person who sexually abused you. If a romantic partner or spouse forces or coerces you into sexual relations, you can and should report them for sexual abuse. The fact that you are in a relationship with them and might have previously consented to sex does not make what they did any less horrendous.

Abuse in Religious Groups

You might have heard about stories of sexual abuse in the news related to religious groups, particularly the Catholic church. Over the years, numerous victims have come forward, sometimes many decades after the abuse first happened, to report that church leaders abused them. This is tragically not an uncommon problem. Many religious groups tend to be somewhat closed off. When bad things happen, they prefer to handle it internally rather than get the police involved. Unfortunately, this means many victims are silenced rather than helped. If you were abused by someone in your church, temple, mosque, or other religious organization, call a lawyer for help.

How Long You Have to File a Case for Sexual Abuse in New York

Your time to file a civil case for sexual abuse in New York is unfortunately limited. However, in recent years, New York lawmakers have recognized the struggle many victims face when coming forward with their claims. As a result, the statute of limitations has been extended to allow you more time to prepare a civil case.

Statute of Limitations

The statute of limitations for sexual claims in New York was somewhat restrictive until 2019. Before this, victims had until age 23 to file civil claims for childhood abuse, and only 3 years for those abused as adults. Unfortunately, many victims do not come forward until much later. The new statute of limitations under C.V.P. Law § 213-C gives plaintiffs 20 years from the abuse to file their civil claims. If you were abused at some point in your life, there might still be time to come forward and speak to our New York sexual abuse attorneys.

Adult Survivors Act

While the new law mentioned above is a great help to sexual abuse victims, not all victims benefit from the new statute of limitations. Those who were already time-barred when the new law took effect were out of luck. However, lawmakers recognized the unfairness of this situation and passed the Adult Survivors Act under § 214-J. Under this law, a lookback window was opened that allowed previously time-barred plaintiffs to file civil claims for sex abuse they endured as adults. The look-back window was opened on November 24, 2022, and closed exactly one year later. If you are time-barred under the old law, you should still talk to a lawyer about other legal options.

Child Victims Act

Victims of childhood sexual assault also benefit from legal reforms in New York surrounding civil claims for sexual abuse. The Child Victims Act under § 214-G gives victims of childhood sexual abuse until the age of 55 to file civil claims in court. Unfortunately, the law is not retroactive, and those time-barred under the old law might be out of luck. The last look-back window for childhood sexual abuse cases closed on August 14, 2021.