Sexual assault is an unwanted sexual act, which can include kissing, hugging, and more. It unfortunately sometimes happens to children. If you're a parent and believe your child was sexually assaulted, these legal tips will be your guide in this dark time.
Report Incident to Police
If you believe completely that your child was victim of sexual assault, you don't want to delay reporting this incident. It's paramount to go down to your local police station and make an official report. Make sure your child is present to give their account of what happened.
This step helps document the alleged sexual act. Once it's in the books, you can take legal action. Just make sure you don't coach your child, telling them what to say to the police. This can damage their sexual report and even cause some legal problems for yourself as the parent.
Get a Protection Order
You want to keep your child safe after this traumatic event, and in order to do this, getting a protection order against the perpetrator may be needed You can work with a child sexual assault attorney to start this process. They'll get your child's statements and information to make this filing legitimate and official.
They can also speed up the protection order so that your child doesn't feel as vulnerable. With it in place, the perpetrator won't be able to go within a certain distance of your child. If they do, legal ramifications will be brought down on them.
Look for Damage Compensation
Regardless of what form the sexual abuse had regarding your child, there probably will be damages. Your child may feel broken and need years of therapy, for example. These are things they deserve compensation for. You thus want to go after the perpetrator with a sexual assault case.
Hire a sexual assault attorney that handles child cases. They can put together a case and ensure your child is ready for court if it's required. They'll work with the court and defendant's attorney to come up with compensation so that costs aren't an issue for your child finding a way to move forward.
Sexual assault can happen to children and it can do extreme damage, both physical and mental. If you're a parent and this situation is presented to your family, be steadfast in responding legally. There are laws that protect children from these horrible acts, and you need to use them to your advantage.
To learn more, contact a resource like Cohen Law Offices, LLC.
