How to Report Sexual Abuse in New York State

Reporting sexual abuse is often a very serious task for people in authority at schools, churches, camps, and other institutions that care for children.  Parents suspecting that their child might be a victim of sexual abuse also have a difficult obligation to pursue justice for what happened to their child.  Lastly, many adults come to the realization that what happened to them in their past was sexual abuse, and they want to come forward as survivors to get the help they need.  Andrew Shubin is an attorney for sexual abuse victims in New York, and he represents survivors of abuse in these difficult cases.  Institutional sexual abuse victims lawyer Andrew Shubin explains how to report sexual abuse as a victim or as a mandated reporter and what you can do as a survivor to seek justice.

How Do Victims of Sexual Abuse Report Abuse in New York?

It may seem simple, but one of the best ways to report sexual abuse is to call the police.  In many cases, a 9-1-1 call might not be appropriate unless you or your child is currently involved in an emergency crisis.  Otherwise, local non-emergency phone numbers are often available to contact the police or the local district attorney to report what happened and seek criminal charges.

In addition to reporting the events to law enforcement, there might be administrators or employers involved in the case that you can report the abuse to.  For instance, if your child was sexually abused by a priest in the Catholic Church, you can report what happened to the local establishment, such as the parish, diocese, or archdiocese.  If your child was sexually abused in the Boy Scouts, you can report what happened to scout leaders and troop administrators.

If the events happened at school, there are often specific offices set up to receive these kinds of complaints.  Every educational institution in the U.S. that receives federal funding is governed by Title IX, which fights sex discrimination.  Sexual abuse and sexual assault qualify as Title IX discrimination, and Title IX coordinators at these institutions should be prepared to receive sexual abuse complaints and start the processes to redress these complaints.

One of the most important things you can do in the reporting process is hire an attorney who can work with you throughout the process.  A New York attorney for sexual abuse victims one year window lawsuits can help you investigate important details that can help you find the name of an unknown abuser and prevent the relevant institutions from hiding or destroying evidence of wrongdoing.  Call a New York sexual abuse victim lawyer as soon as you can after discovering the facts of your case.

How Do Mandated Reporters Report Sexual Abuse in New York State?

Mandated reporters, as part of their training on being a mandated reporter, are usually given the information they need about who to call and how to report sexual abuse against minors.  For teachers, counselors, doctors, nurses, and many other people who work with children, any evidence of sexual abuse of a minor that comes across their desk must be reported, whether or not the parent or victim consents to reporting.

In New York, most cases are reported to the Central Register of Child Abuse and Maltreatment (CSR) and ultimately to Child Protective Services (CPS).  Mandated reporters often contact the mandated reporter hotline to report cases, and they do not have to report the issue to the parents or other responsible people.  In many cases, sexual abuse is committed by parents, and so mandated reporters often avoid bringing the parent into the reporting process, instead letting CPS talk to the parents.  After CPS is notified about the abuse, they will contact the relevant adults who could be responsible, talk to the child as needed, and investigate what happened.

If you are not a mandated reporter, there may be a local or state-wide public hotline you can still call to report suspected child abuse or child sexual abuse to CPS and other relevant organizations.

How to File a Lawsuit for Sexual Assault in New York

Victims of sexual abuse in New York often have the right to file a lawsuit against the individuals and institutions responsible for the abuse.  Whether the victim was abused recently or years ago, and whether they are an adult or a child, victims of sexual abuse deserve justice for what happened to them.  This can often come in the form of monetary damages for the medical bills, mental health care expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering that resulted from the abuse.  To get these damages and seek justice for what happened, you usually have to file a claim with the courts.

A lawyer can help you determine which court to file your claim in and what parties to file the claim against.  In many cases, finding the individual who abused you can be difficult, especially in cases where child victims might not know who the adults are.  It can also be difficult to determine how to file the lawsuit, like in cases where there is an institution that can also be joined in the lawsuit.  Suing a relevant church, school, camp, or other institution that was in charge of the abuser can help provide damages that the individual abuser might not be able to afford.  An experienced New York attorney for sexual abuse by the Catholic Church or other institution can help.

Call Our New York Sexual Abuse Victim Lawyers for Help with Your Case

If you want to report sexual abuse that happened to you or your child, our New York sexual abuse victim’s attorney can help.  The Law Office of Andrew Shubin represents victims and their families and fights to report what happened to them and help them seek justice for the abuse they suffered.  For a free case consultation, call our law office today at (814) 826-3586.