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Experienced Legal Representation for California Sports Sexual Abuse Victims
Youth sports sexual abuse is a pervasive issue that affects children and young athletes across the nation. With high-profile sports sexual abuse scandals making headlines over the past decade, there’s an increased focus on protecting both children in youth sports as well as college athletes from sexual predators.
Unfortunately, this problem hits close to home, with several Los Angeles-area youth sports sexual abuse cases reported in recent years:
When a predator coach sexually abuses a young athlete, getting justice is possible through civil lawsuits for financial compensation. To speak with a dedicated and compassionate youth sports sexual abuse lawyer from Dordulian Law Group, contact us 24/7 for a free & confidential consultation at 866-GO-SEE-SAM.
Youth sports play a vital role in the lives of many families throughout California. However, the sheer number of athletes participating in various sports creates opportunities for misconduct and sexual abuse. These incidents can occur in various organizations, including:
When young athletes in California face sexual abuse, it often takes several forms:
Grooming refers to behaviors or actions by an adult designed to gain a young athlete’s trust, with the intention of eventually sexually abusing them.
This can include unwanted sexual advances, comments, or gestures by a coach, teammate, or other individual in a position of authority.
Generally defined as any unwanted sexual contact, especially groping, fondling, or rape.
This involves the use of a young athlete for sexual purposes, such as producing or distributing sexually explicit images or videos.
Coercion can include threats or intimidation to force a young athlete to engage in sexual activity.
It’s important to note that sexual abuse can occur both on and off the field and can involve a number of individuals:
In youth sports, childhood sexual abuse can be especially damaging because it involves a betrayal of trust by an adult who is supposed to be a role model and mentor to young athletes.
For many athletes participating in California youth sports, the pressure to remain silent in the face of sexual abuse is immense. In these situations, it’s often up to parents, coaches, and other adults to be aware of the warning signs of sexual abuse so that they can address them properly.
These warning signs can include:
Some athletes may disclose to a parent or other authority figure that they have been sexually assaulted by a coach, staff member, or another athlete. It’s crucial to take these disclosures seriously and report them to authorities immediately for investigation.
Unfortunately, the dynamics of youth sports can make it difficult for victims of sexual abuse to come forward, compounding the trauma and making recovery more challenging. Young athletes ultimately have to rely on these organizations to take measures which keep them safe and mitigate the risk of sexual abuse.
California youth sports organizations can do this by:
By taking these steps, youth sports organizations can help reduce the risk of sexual abuse and promote a safe and healthy environment for young athletes in California. At the same time, if they fail to do so, legal mechanisms can hold them accountable and provide victims with a way to recover from some of the trauma through financial compensation.
When a team is winning, there’s often little scrutiny of a coach’s techniques. A successful coach may yell and scream at the kids or make them run laps until they’re sick, and nobody will say a word. But this lack of oversight is dangerous and can lend itself to sexual misconduct.
Child predators will often seek to join a successful coaching staff or present themselves as an expert in a particular sport, knowing full well that nobody will pay too much attention to their behavior as long as the team is winning.
Players, who are often told by their parents to listen to their coaches (knowing they will get more playing time if they are in the coach’s good graces), can then be placed in the dangerous position to be groomed for sexual abuse.
When a coach is accused of sexual abuse or even caught in the act, they are often fired unceremoniously and told to leave town or get reported to the police. Days later, another organization will announce they have made a great hire, and that coach will be working with new kids. This common practice is known as “passing the trash,” and it is shockingly common.
In many cases, sports organizations, clubs, rec leagues, and schools don’t seem to care that they have put different kids at risk as long as they no longer have a problem on their own team. But survivors deserve justice and perpetrators must be held accountable.
It’s not just coaches who pose a risk to young athletes. Other individuals involved in youth sports can also be potential abusers:
If sexual abuse is discovered, it should be immediately reported to law enforcement authorities. Too often, coaches, mentors, medical staff, support staff, facility owners, and the organizations that hire and supervise these people are willing to turn a blind eye to questionable behavior that should serve as a warning sign, or even rumors of abuse, if the team is winning. This makes them just as guilty as the actual abusers.
Sporting organizations, clubs, rec leagues, and schools may also be tempted to address allegations of abuse in-house. This is a mistake and have serious legal consequences – both criminally and civilly. Covering up problems instead of properly reporting them makes these organizations just as guilty as the sexual abusers they harbor.
Having your story heard and bringing an abuser to justice is just part of the healing process. Victims may need therapy or realize that the abuse radically altered the course of their life. That is where monetary compensation comes in – typically through a youth sports sexual abuse civil lawsuit.
Seeking compensation for the abuse that you endured can help you move on in ways you never anticipated. It can also send a message that sexual abuse will no longer be quietly swept under the rug. Youth sports organizations, clubs, rec leagues, and schools need to be held accountable for the sexual abuse that occurred on their watch.
A sexual abuse civil lawsuit could help you secure justice through financial compensation for various damages:
If you’re interested in learning more about filing your youth sports sexual abuse lawsuit against, contact Dordulian Law Group now at 866-GO-SEE-SAM to speak with a dedicated athlete abuse lawyer. Our attorney consultations are free, confidential, and without any obligation.
D Law Group is a nationally-recognized and proven youth sports sexual abuse, coach sexual abuse, and sexual assault firm representing athlete survivors in all case types. Our dedicated sexual abuse attorneys handle cases in California as well as throughout the United States. D Law Group’s youth sports abuse lawyers offer survivors a unique type of legal representation which includes a four-tiered team of professionals known as the SAJE Team (Sexual Abuse Justice Experts).
D Law Group clients have 24/7 access to the full SAJE Team support network:
Our sexual abuse lawyers have an established track record of helping survivors secure more than $200,000,000.00 in settlements and verdicts while maintaining a near-perfect 98% winning percentage.
Some of our recent case victories include:
For a free and confidential consultation regarding your youth sports sexual abuse case, contact a member of DLG’s SAJE Team today at 866-GO-SEE-SAM.
At D Law Group, sports sexual abuse lawyers only work on a contingency fee basis. This means that there is never any cost to you until after we’ve won your case and secured a damages award on your behalf. There is no financial risk or upfront expense to you when you choose D Law Group to fight for justice in your youth sports sexual abuse case. If we don’t win, you don’t pay; it’s that simple.
Contact us today to set up a free and confidential sports sexual abuse lawyer consultation with a member of DLG’s SAJE Team.
By hiring a D Law Group youth sports sexual abuse lawyer, victims can secure justice through financial compensation – whether through a cash settlement or verdict. This compensation can ensure justice and holding the perpetrator accountable while also helping to cover the costs of therapy, lost opportunities, and other damages resulting from the abuse.
Parents can help prevent sexual abuse by staying involved in their child's sports activities, educating themselves and their children about appropriate boundaries, watching for warning signs, and advocating for strong abuse prevention policies within sports organizations.
Long-term effects of sexual abuse on young athletes can include depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse, eating disorders, relationship difficulties, and problems with self-esteem and trust. Professional therapy and support are often necessary for healing.
Yes, there are laws addressing sexual abuse in youth sports. For example, the Safe Sport Act of 2017 requires mandatory reporting of suspected child abuse in Olympic sports. Many states have also passed laws requiring background checks for youth sports coaches and mandating abuse prevention training.
Sports organizations can improve abuse prevention by implementing comprehensive background checks, providing regular training on abuse prevention and reporting, establishing clear codes of conduct, creating open lines of communication with parents and athletes, and enforcing strict policies against one-on-one interactions between adults and young athletes.
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.
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If you have experienced sexual harassment, we are here to help empower you to seek justice and financial compensation. Schedule a completely private and confidential consultation with us to explore your options.
If you have experienced sexual harassment, we are here to help empower you to seek justice and financial compensation. Schedule a completely private and confidential consultation with us to explore your options.
