College Campus Rape & Sexual Assault Attorneys

Los Angeles College Campus Rape & Sexual Assault Attorneys

Sexual assault on college campuses is a widespread issue impacting thousands of survivors every year. News reports of college sexual assault can be found practically every week. Just yesterday, Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, was sued by 12 women who allege the school mishandled sexual assault claims and created an environment conducive to increased incidents.

When college sexual assault or rape occurs, survivors deserve justice. At Dordulian Law Group (DLG), we’ve been helping survivors obtain justice through our unique and all-encompassing brand of legal representation and support for nearly two decades. We’re proud to partner with RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) in an effort to combat sexual violence on college campuses.

Below we’ll review some statistics on college campus rape and sexual assault, and outline what steps a survivor can take to ensure their civil claim is properly filed.

Our experienced attorneys can help you pursue a financial award for your sexual assault case. Contact us online or by phone for a free consultation today.

College Campus Rape & Sexual Assault Statistics

As RAINN confirms, ‘college-age’ women between the ages of 18 and 24 are at an elevated risk for experiencing sexual violence.

The true pervasiveness of campus sexual violence isn’t accurately known by many. Here are some alarming statistics that give context to the problem:

• 13% of all college students experience rape or sexual assault through physical force, violence, or incapacitation (among all graduate and undergraduate students).
• Among graduate and professional students, 9.7% of females and 2.5% of males experience rape or sexual assault through physical force, violence, or incapacitation.
• Among undergraduate students, 26.4% of females and 6.8% of males experience rape or sexual assault through physical force, violence, or incapacitation.
• 5.8% of students have experienced stalking since entering college.

Whether a young person is a student or not (and regardless of their gender), this specific age category is at high risk for all types of sexual violence – sexual assault, sexual abuse, rape, harassment, etc.

According to RAINN, male college-aged students (between 18 and 24) are 78% more likely than non-students of the same age to be a victim of rape or sexual assault. Furthermore, compared to other types of crime, sexual violence is most prevalent on college campuses:

• About one in every five college-aged female survivors received assistance from a victim services agency.
• 23.1% of TGQN (transgender, genderqueer, nonconforming) college students have been sexually assaulted.

Consent is Always Required

One point that we frequently try to stress with survivors is that sexual consent is always mandatory. Moreover, it’s required each and every time – there’s no blanket consent that applies if you happened to be intimate with someone on a previous occasion. And consent can always be retracted – there’s no rule that says once you’re engaged in an intimate act you must continue.

Accordingly, if your right to consent is ever violated, you have options under the law, including to file a civil lawsuit seeking to recover financial compensation.

To discuss your legal options, schedule an appointment with our sexual harassment lawyers today. Call 866-GO-SEE-SAM.

Underreporting of Rape and Sexual Assault on College Campuses

Coming forward to report an incident of sexual assault can be extremely difficult. No survivor wants to relive such a traumatic ordeal, and with recent headlines being made confirming that the Bill Cosby verdict was overturned, many victims may feel more hesitant than usual to report a claim.

But as Dordulian Law Group’s (DLG) founder and president, Sam Dordulian, has seen through his extensive experience as a sex crimes prosecutor and Deputy District Attorney (before founding his own practice), coming forward to report an attacker and face that predator in court can be very empowering.

“What I’ve found over the years, assisting hundreds of survivors, is that those who have gone through the legal process typically find it very empowering. They were once terrified of this scary predator, but eventually come to realize he’s actually not that intimidating when sitting quietly and meek in a courtroom with deputies standing over him, and is eventually carted away in handcuffs. For the first time, it’s the survivors who are now in control, not the perpetrator. And when a survivor takes back that control from the abuser, it can be incredibly healing. I’ve represented victims on countless occasions who are terrified before taking the stand. However, when they decide to take that step, to walk up, get on the stand and testify before that now meek and incarcerated perpetrator, inevitably they come to magically realize that this awful person who had hurt them so severely no longer has any power,” Dordulian says.

Unfortunately, many college-age survivors of sexual assault often do not report their crimes to law enforcement. As RAINN confirms:

• Only 20% of female student victims age 18-24 report to law enforcement
• Only 32% of non-student females the same age do make a report

Does College Sexual Assault Occur More Often During a Particular Time of Year?

As data provided by RAINN confirms, due to the academic calendar, many incidents of college campus sexual violence occur at a particular time of year.

• More than 50% of college sexual assaults occur in either August, September, October, or November.
• Students are at an increased risk during the first few months of their first and second semesters in college.

When sexual assault, rape, sexual abuse, sexual harassment, or any type of sexual violence occurs at a college, informing the campus police of the matter is advisable. RAINN provides the following statistics related to the role campus law enforcement can have in helping to address, respond to, and prevent college sexual assaults from occurring.

• 86% of sworn campus law enforcement officials have legal authority to make an arrest outside of the campus grounds.
• 86% of sworn campus law enforcement agencies have a staff member responsible for rape prevention programming.
• 70% of campus law enforcement agencies have memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with local law enforcement.
• 72% of campus law enforcement agencies have a staff member responsible for survivor response and assistance.
• Among 4-year academic institutions with 2,500 students or more, 75% employ armed officers, a 10% increase in the last decade.

If you report your sexual assault to campus law enforcement and find that they are not taking the claim seriously, contacting the city police department is also an option. As we reported in a previous blog, one determined college student recently had to convene her own grand jury in order for the wheels of justice to start moving.

While the criminal court system plays an important role in ensuring justice is served, survivors of college campus sexual assault also have the option of civil court. By filing a civil claim, survivors can fight to recover financial compensation for various damages.

Common sexual assault civil damages include:

• Medical bills or expenses
• Psychological or emotional trauma
• Therapy or counseling expenses
• Pain and suffering
• Lost wages
• Lost earning capacity
• Diminished quality of life
• Relocation expenses

At DLG, we believe survivors. When a victim brings a college campus sexual assault claim, we fight to ensure every applicable type of damages is recovered and the ultimate settlement or verdict is maximized to ensure justice is served.

Our Sexual Assault Justice Experts are here to help survivors secure justice. Contact our top-rated attorneys online or by phone for a free consultation today.

DLG’s Unique Type of College Campus Sexual Assault Representation

When Sam Dordulian worked as a sex crimes prosecutor and Deputy District Attorney for Los Angeles County, he came to realize that survivors of sexual assault often need additional resources and support beyond mere legal expertise. Accordingly, when he founded his own firm, Dordulian created a Sex Crimes Division that features a SAJE Team (Sexual Assault Justice Experts) of professionals offering added benefits and a 24/7 support network survivors can access at any point throughout the legal process.

With DLG, survivors have four tiers or legal representation and support:

• Tier I, Litigation Lead: Sam Dordulian – a former sex crimes prosecutor and Deputy D.A. for Los Angeles County with extensive experience that includes over 100 jury trial victories
• Tier II, Investigative Lead: Moses Castillo – DLG’s in-house Chief investigator is a retired LAPD sex crimes detective with over 30 years of experience investigating and closing cases
• Tier III, Counseling/Therapy Lead: DLG employs an in-house licensed clinical therapist with over 15 years of experience assisting sexual assault survivors in need
• Tier IV, Support Lead: DLG’s Sex Crimes Division team includes two licensed and nationally accredited victim advocates who have devoted their lives and careers to helping sexual assault survivors

Our experienced attorneys can help you pursue a financial award for your sexual assault case. Contact us online or by phone for a free consultation today.

In addition to vast legal expertise, courtroom experience, and proven results including a 98% success record and over $200,000,000 in settlements and verdicts recovered for our clients, DLG’s survivors have 24/7 access to all tiers of the SAJE Team. With DLG, sexual assault survivors are offered added advantages, resources, and support that can be extremely helpful throughout the legal process.

If you’ve been sexually assaulted at college, contact the experienced and dedicated team at DLG today to discuss your legal options and begin the process towards justice. We’ll listen to the facts of your case, launch a thorough investigation, and develop a precise legal strategy based on our years of experience and past success that ensures you recover the maximum financial damages award you deserve.

Don’t settle for just any firm when it comes the important responsibility of handling your college campus sexual assault claim. Choose a proven, experienced, and dedicated firm that offers added advantages and support.

Contact DLG today online or by phone at 866-GO-SEE-SAM for a free consultation. Our No Win/No Fee Guarantee means you never have to worry about paying upfront fees or out-of-pocket expenses. With DLG, you pay nothing until we recover a maximum financial damages award for your college campus rape or sexual assault claim.

Client Review

“I wanted to give a review to the law firm, they work very different from other offices, they tell you everything as they know about your case not giving you false hope! They also keep you updated throughout the process from the beginning and the end. Rafi was very professional and on point, he always handled everything excellent and went above and beyond!”
Raul U.