Compassionate Manchester Sexual Assault Lawyers
Helping victims of sexual abuse and assault get the help they need
Sexual assault is a pervasive and devastating issue in the United States, and our attorneys understand that many victims want nothing more than to forget it ever happened. Unfortunately, more often than not this tactic has resulted in the victim experiencing severe anxiety and depression, and even suicidal tendencies from pushing down the feelings that come with such a vicious personal violation as sexual assault. While it cannot completely heal you, holding your attacker accountable for his or her actions is an important first step in regaining your power and getting your life back. Our attorneys are here to help you do just that – fight for your right to feel safe again.
The compassionate Manchester sexual assault attorneys at Barry, Barall, Taylor & Levesque, LLC will tirelessly work to hold your attacker and all other parties responsible for the ordeal you have been forced to endure so that you can begin down the path to healing.
What qualifies as sexual assault in Manchester?
In Manchester, and across Connecticut, sexual assault is any unwanted sexually driven act or contact that a person does not willingly consent to, or cannot consent to due to age or a disability, including:
- Unwanted sexual contact where any touching of a person is deemed offensive.
- Child sexual abuse by family, friends, or strangers.
- Incest where a blood relation engages in sexual acts with another blood relation such as a parent and child, or siblings.
- Rape where a person is forced, coerced or manipulated by another person to have sexual intercourse by vaginal, oral or anal penetration by any body part or object.
- Sexual harassment where a person is made to feel intimidated by any form of sexually motivated communication.
Victims of sexual predators by age group
No one is safe from the risk of sexual assault. Men, women and children are all eligible victims in the eye of a sexual predator. According to RAINN the risk groups include:
Sexual assault can occur in many arenas, such as:
- College campuses
- Places of worship
- Healthcare settings
- Daycare settings
- Ridesharing services
- Hotels, restaurants and bars
- Nursing homes
- Workplaces
- Youth organizations
- Athletic leagues
- Stranger sexual assault
- Date rape
Signs of an impending sexual assault
Being able to recognize the warning signs of sexual assault and abuse can help you avoid being placed in danger, or arm you with the ability to provide factual information to law enforcement about the circumstances and behavior that led up to your attack. Either way, you are not responsible for someone else’s actions, but you can do something to help bring him or her to justice for assaulting you or a loved one.
Pay attention to the signals to protect yourself from becoming a victim, and ask yourself these questions:
- Has the individual attempted to make you feel safe through using flattery or offering gifts to get you to lower your guard?
- Has the individual offered you alcohol or drugs to lower your resistance to assault? Have you felt out of control and unable to focus on your surroundings after being provided a drink, or after your beverage was out of your sight?
- Has the individual isolated you from friends, family, or work? Has the individual paid special attention to a child or taken that child on special trips or activities alone?
- Has the individual pressured you to engage in a sexual act or attempted to influence you into believing the act was consensual when you never gave consent?
When a sexual assault occurs on a property owned by someone else, the property owner owes a duty to safeguard visitors and tenants from coming to harm and may be held liable for your assault under premises liability. Our attorneys will turn over every stone to make sure everyone who should be held accountable, will be.
What you can do after a sexual assault
Sexual assaults are crimes of control and opportunity that physically and psychologically devastate the victims. No person should feel that he or she has the right to exert dominion over any other person by force, manipulation, or intimidation, yet it happens frequently. Some perpetrators believe they can get away with it because of some position of authority and trust, while others simply don’t consider the consequences of their actions.
- Report the sex crime to law enforcement and provide as much detail as possible that will allow them to make an arrest and prosecute the perpetrator.
- Get medical attention, which may include a forensic exam to preserve evidence. Rape victims have a right to request emergency contraception.
- Locate a mental health counselor or support group for sexual assault victims.
- Seek legal help from a skilled Manchester sexual assault attorney.
Criminal cases are designed to punish by taking away your assaulter’s freedom. You can go after your own justice against your attacker by having one of our attorneys file a civil suit to pursue financial compensation for damages you have sustained at the hands of your assailant.
You have a limited amount of time to file a claim for sexual abuse or assault
In Connecticut, the ability to file a personal injury claim in civil court for sexual assault may largely depend on the disposition of criminal charges brought against the perpetrator, along with other factors related to the crime. The statute of limitation for civil cases ranges from one year to 30 years, though there is legislation pending that would eliminate the SOL for reporting childhood sexual assaults and felony rape charges.
Don’t wait to report your sexual assault. The faster the police can begin to investigate, the more likely you will prevail in getting justice.
Why choose Barry, Barall, Taylor & Levesque, LLC for help?
With over 900 sexual assaults occurring every day in the United States, it is more important than ever to send a message to the perpetrators that this violent behavior will not be tolerated. In addition to your attacker potentially being sentenced to incarceration by the state, our attorneys will aggressively pursue all avenues of compensation for you through a personal injury lawsuit.
Our goal for our clients is to help them feel empowered and more secure in standing up for themselves while working to prevent their attacker from ever sexually assaulting anyone else. We are proud to be members of the Manchester community and helping our clients take a stand against violence makes us proud to create a safer community for you, your families and your neighbors.
Our promise to you is that we will do everything within our power to handle your case with the dignity and respect that you deserve as we attempt to secure compensation for your damages by fighting for:
- Medical expenses
- Lost income and lost capacity to earn
- Psychological damage
- Pain and suffering
- Possible punitive damages
Aggressive representation for sexual assault victims of Manchester
We are passionate about our commitment to our clients who have experienced sexual assault and our attorneys strive to provide a level of legal service that is unsurpassed by other law firms. If you or a loved one has been a victim of sexual assault in Manchester or Hartford, speak with one of our compassionate attorneys at Barry, Barall, Taylor & Levesque, LLC. Call our office at 860-649-4400 or reach out to us through our contact form today to schedule your free case consultation. We’re located right off I-84 or I-384 in Manchester.