971-405-6660Oregon Youth Sports Sexual Abuse Lawyer
Holding Youth Sports Organizations Accountable
Extracurricular activities are an essential part of raising a well-rounded child, and there are many benefits to participating in youth sports. It can help children build confidence and boost self-esteem, and it’s a great way to increase physical fitness and establish long-lasting friendships with teammates. Youth sports organizations often rely on volunteers to coach teams and help students develop their athletic abilities. While many of these adults are there to help children, others may have more nefarious purposes. Coaches have convenient access to children, which can make it easier to perpetrate abuse. This can turn what should be a fun, memorable activity into a nightmare.
If you or your child experienced athlete sexual abuse, help is available. It can be incredibly difficult for victims to come forward, but there are legal options to hold your abuser accountable and seek compensation for the physical and emotional distress you’ve endured. Call Galm Law to speak to a sports coach sexual abuse attorney about your case today.
What Does Child Sexual Abuse Include?
Children are incapable of giving legal consent to sexual activity, which means that child sexual abuse involves any sexual conduct with a child. Child sexual abuse can be perpetrated by adults, such as in the case of sports coaches, or other adolescents or children, such as fellow team members. Child sexual abuse is an overarching category that includes both physical contact, such as in the case of rape or assault, and inappropriate actions not involving direct physical contact, such as showing explicit photos or videos to children. Other examples include:
- Inappropriate touching, such as coming into contact with genital areas when adjusting an athlete’s form
- Offering special privileges, more playing time, or a coveted spot on the team in exchange for accepting the coach’s sexual advances
- Sexual harassment or hazing
- Sexual misconduct, such as inappropriate messaging through texts or social media
Abuse in these situations often happens before or after games in the locker rooms or when traveling for a game, such as on the bus or in a hotel room. Signs of potential sexual abuse include a coach spending an inordinate amount of time with one athlete in particular, sudden changes in attitude or behavior from the child, and an athlete getting special privileges or pricey gifts.
It’s important to note that sexual abuse cases with youth athletes rarely start overtly sexual. Abusers know that they need first to gain the child’s trust and establish a friendly relationship. They will often try to become the child’s confidant, listening to their struggles with school, peers, or parents. This type of relationship gives them access to the child’s vulnerabilities that they can then exploit as they attempt to turn the relationship sexual. It’s not uncommon for victims not to realize that what happened to them was a violation until years after the abuse occurred.
How Often Does Sexual Abuse Occur in Youth Sports?
One of the most significant youth sports sexual abuse cases was the USA Gymnastic case, which included more than 500 minor athletes. While this case showed the horrors that can happen in youth sports organizations when abusers are able to work their way into positions that have direct contact with students, it also shed some light on the prevalence of sexual abuse in sports involving young athletes.
As a whole, child sexual abuse affects 1 in 5 girls and 1 in 20 boys based on self-reports, and 75 percent of children who are sexually abused experience this abuse at the hands of someone they know. Up to 10 percent of child sexual abuse cases involving youth athletes are perpetrated by abusive coaches. It’s also possible for sexual abuse to occur from other athletes, including as a form of hazing.
Child sexual abuse claims should always be taken seriously and believed. Sexual predators are often drawn to volunteering or otherwise participating in youth sports because it’s usually easier to gain the parents and the children’s trust and establish a relationship that facilitates the abuse.
If your child has told you that they were sexually abused or you were a victim of sexual abuse as a youth sports athlete yourself, call Galm Law for help. We have handled cases for other victims in and around the Portland area, and we know how difficult it can be to come forward. We’re here to believe and advocate for survivors and help them navigate the legal system to hold their abusers accountable and seek compensation for the harm they’ve experienced.
Do Youth Sports Organization Have Any Responsibility to Prevent Abuse?
Yes, youth sports organizations and schools that offer sports have a responsibility to do everything they can to protect athletes from harm, including being sexually abused. If the organization was aware or should have been aware that the abuse was occurring and did not take action to stop it or report it to the authorities, the organization can be held legally liable in a civil lawsuit. These cases can be complex, so it’s important to talk with an attorney about your situation if you believe that the organization was complicit in the abuse.
What Damages Can Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse Sue For?
In the civil court system in Oregon, a plaintiff can file a lawsuit seeking compensation for both economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages are those that are directly related to finances. For example, if you incurred medical bills as a result of seeking treatment after sexual abuse, this would qualify as part of your economic damages. Other items in this category can include money spent on therapy and mental health services as well as missed income from time off work related to your trauma.
Non-economic damages are those that don’t come with a receipt or billing statement, but they are often the most harmful. You may hear this type of damages referred to as pain and suffering or emotional distress. It’s meant to ensure that the pain and anguish you experienced as a result of the abuse are factored into the amount you can sue for. While economic damages are calculated by the actual billed value, non-economic damages are much harder to quantify.
We know that it’s impossible to put a monetary value on how the abuse you experienced affected your emotional and mental health, but it’s also essential for us to pursue all potential damages so that you can get everything you’re legally entitled to. When you have a consultation with an attorney, they can help you understand how these calculations are determined and how much you could get if you win your case.
What Are Your Legal Options After Being Sexually Abused?
Victims of sexual abuse that occurred during youth sports have both criminal and civil options for seeking justice and holding their abusers accountable. When you report abuse to the authorities, a criminal investigation is started. This will include taking statements from all of those involved and looking for evidence, such as medical records indicating abuse or videos or photographs that can substantiate your story. Depending on what the investigators uncover, the prosecutor makes the decision on whether to pursue criminal charges.
This can be incredibly frustrating for victims and their families because, all too often, these cases don’t proceed, either because of lack of evidence or because the statute of limitations has expired. However, this doesn’t mean you’re out of options. Victims also have the right to pursue a civil claim against their abusers and potentially the youth sports organization itself if there is evidence that it was negligent.
The first step in pursuing a civil case is to meet with a sports coach sexual abuse attorney who has experience with these types of cases. They will ask you about the abuse, including when and where it happened, what it involved, and who knew about it. With this information, an attorney can explain whether you have grounds for a civil claim against the abuser and/or the organization.
Why Should You Work With a Sports Coach Sexual Abuse Lawyer?
Any case involving child abuse or sexual abuse needs to be handled with the utmost care with regard to the child’s physical, mental, and emotional well-being. That’s why it’s essential to work with an attorney who has experience with child sexual abuse cases, including those that involve youth sports organizations and coaches. At Galm Law, we understand how important it is to bring abusers to justice, and that’s why we can help victims with both criminal and civil cases. Even if the statute of limitations has passed for a criminal case or the prosecutor chooses not to pursue it, you may still be able to hold your abuser accountable and seek compensation through the civil courts.
Call our office at 971-405-6660 to schedule a time to talk with attorney Paul C. Galm and find out what options you have.