Man faces multiple federal and state charges for child sex abuse

A 69-year-old man who was tutoring a 7-year-old boy is facing multiple federal and state charges for sexual abusing the child. The man, a former schoolteacher in New York, is said to have taken images using his phone to record sexual conduct involving the child. The images were transported from Connecticut to New York, leading to the federal charges. He was hired by the boy’s family in Connecticut. He is said to have touched the child inappropriately and taken photos and videos of him. He had initially been arrested in April. The family complained last year than the man was taking inappropriate photos. On the phone, investigators found more than 1,500 videos and images.

Understanding and addressing problems after child sex abuse

Sexual abuse of a child is a traumatic issue. The child can will inevitably deal with myriad challenges in the aftermath. While this is undoubtedly worrisome and many parents and guardians might not know what they should do, there are options. It is important for victims and their family to be legally shielded when the accusations have been made and after a person has been arrested for these allegations. Having experienced legal assistance can be beneficial to put a stop to the abuse and take the necessary steps to ensure that the person responsible is held accountable.

Having legal assistance may be crucial after child sex abuse accusations

People trusted to mentor and teach children are frequently found to be predators who use their jobs and apparent skills to gain access to children and commit child sex abuse. Religious organizations, sports teams, schools, child care facilities, medical care providers and the Boy Scouts are just some examples of environments where this can take place. Having legal support can be a fundamental part of getting a child beyond the mistreatment. Calling for a consultation with a caring and experienced legal professional can help with a case.

The crime

According to police reports, the victim was the daughter of a personal friend of the accused. The girl told state officials that the man had touched her “inappropriately several times. The seriousness of the charges were then increased when the girl added to her story.

She told police that on the day of the incident, she had been in the defendant’s house and that he dragged her into his bedroom. The inappropriate touching followed. According the girl, the man then raped her as she pleaded with him to stop.

Additional reports state that the girl used a doll to demonstrate what the man had done to her.

The defendant was arrested on September 18 and charged with three counts of first degree sexual assault and three counts of risk of injury to a minor.

Civil liability

The defendant in this case faces serious criminal charges, but is also liable for any injuries suffered by the child. The initial reports of the crimes do not specify what, if any, injuries the child may have suffered, but the assaults seem to be specific and concrete. In such cases, the child may suffer emotional trauma that may not reveal itself until long after the assaults occurred. Any parent of a child who has suffered a similar assault may wish to explore pursuing a civil action against the perpetrator by consulting an attorney who is experienced in handling such claims. A knowledgeable lawyer can provide an evaluation of the evidence, refer the victim to an experienced child psychologist, and provide an estimate of the likelihood of recovering damages from the abuser.

Child sexual exploitation case lodged against “Cheer” star

According to CNN, a lawsuit has been filed against Jeremiah “Jerry” Harris from the Netflix docuseries “Cheer” accusing him of committing acts of child sexual exploitation and abuse against two young male cheer athletes. Harris is accused of using social media to send sexual messages and photographs to the minors. In addition, according to the lawsuit, Harris tried to meet the minors in secret locations in order to have sexual contact with them.

The lawsuit also includes the United States All Star Federation, Varsity Spirit and Cheer Athletics as plaintiffs. Per the lawsuit, these companies did not implement reasonable safeguards to keep Harris from committing the alleged acts of child sexual abuse.

Speak out if your child was the victim of sexual abuse

Child sexual abuse can be difficult to report. Not only do the victims have to relive the trauma, but they may believe that they will not be taken seriously if they try to take action against the harms they suffered. However, it is important to ensure that child sexual abuse victims have their voices heard. Parents of child sexual abuse victims may want to learn more about their legal options, including whether filing a civil lawsuit is right for them. Doing so could put a stop to further abuse, and it could bring a sense of security and justice to victims and their parents.

One woman who answered Jahren’s op-ed says that she was in the seventh grade when the dean of students at her school would routinely summon girls accused of “uniform violations” to his office. The offense was often a skirt that was considered a bit short and the dean would measure the distance between the hemline of the skirt and the knee of the offending student with his hand.

The same woman that provided this information also described an experience with a substitute teacher who licked his fingers before using it to smooth her eyebrows when she was in high school. The same substitute teacher made an inappropriate comment about massaging the student’s cellulite once she grew old.

The evidence shows that the woman providing this commentary is not alone in her experiences. In addition to the numerous response received by Jahren, the American Association of University Women conducted a 2011 study that revealed nearly half of students from 12 to 18 years old report at least one incident of sexual harassment.

Children and teenagers possess the right to pursue an education without facing the threat of sexual harassment or abuse of any kind. The parent of a child who has been harassed by another student or employee at school may benefit from speaking with an attorney regarding the incident.

When talking to a child who could have been sexually abused, the adult should choose a time and place that’s comfortable. The tone of voice used should be one that doesn’t sound frightening. Instead, the adult should use a soothing voice that calms the child. If there are enough signs present, then a report of child sexual abuse can be made to the department of social services or to local law enforcement personnel. Agents can then investigate the situation to determine if sexual abuse has occurred and if any charges should be filed.

After an abuse case is reported, an adult close to the child can offer emotional support. At times, the adult might not be able to have further contact with the child, which would need to be something to consider so that there is closure made before the details are reported to the proper authorities.

When a child gains the courage to admit that sexual abuse has occurred, an adult can go with the child to speak with an attorney after any charges have been filed. The attorney can speak for the child in court and can work with agencies for proper placement if the child is removed from the primary residence. A parent of the child can obtain help from an attorney regarding child custody as well.

Who commits sexual abuse?

You may have an image of sexual abusers of children as being strangers stalking kids in public spaces, like the playground. In fact, around 90 percent of the time, the victim knows their abuser. Abusers can have close relationships with their victims, such as:

• Relatives
• Teachers
• Sports coaches
• Daycare providers
• Ministers and clergy
• Neighbors

They are often adults the child knows and trusts. Often, their parents have introduced their child to the adult and told them that the grownup is someone they can trust, without realizing the truth. Predators take advantage of this faith.

This is not to blame parents, who, of course, would never knowingly put their children in harm’s way. We are simply pointing out that in many cases, child sexual abusers are people in positions of leadership who have strong public reputations. It is possible that nobody knew what was going on until the predator was caught.

What to do to hold abusers and their enablers accountable

In many cases, despite the best efforts of the police and prosecution, there may not be enough evidence to pursue criminal charges against your child’s abuser. However, you still have the right to seek justice in civil court. In civil law, the standard of proof is lower, so it may be easier to reach a guilty verdict. Often, you can pursue damages against the abuser’s employer, such as a school or church, that failed to take reasonable steps to prevent the abuse. Many families feel a sense of justice and healing by pursuing this legal option.

Knowing the behavioral warning signs of child sexual abuse is critical to removing the child from danger. The symptoms may be physical, emotional or both, but physical indications are much less common. While any one behavior doesn’t necessarily mean a child was abused, several could suggest they need help. Recognizing how to spot potential sexual abuse is the first step towards stopping it.

Emotional signs of abuse

Signs of child sexual abuse aren’t always obvious, mainly because abusers take careful steps to hide their actions. If you suspect something is wrong, you should trust your instincts. Even if it makes you uncomfortable, it’s essential that you talk to your child if someone makes you uneasy.

Frequent emotional or behavioral changes that may indicate abuse include:

• Excessive worry or fearfulness
• Anxiety and depression
• Sleep disturbances, nightmares or fear of being alone at night
• Regression to previously outgrown behaviors, such as thumb-sucking or bed-wetting.
• Changes to eating habits
• Excessive talk or knowledge of sexual topics
• Not wanting to be alone with certain people or away from their primary caregiver
• Sexual behavior inappropriate for their age

When to take action

It isn’t always easy to identify when a child may be in danger – some children may not display any signs of abuse. However, if something feels off or your child tells you someone makes them uncomfortable, you should take it seriously. If you have influence over the child’s life, avoid putting them in potentially harmful situations. Speaking with a staff member at your local RAINN center can help determine if you should report the abuse to authorities.

People might not realize how costly it is to get these children the help they need. Not only are the astronomical medical care costs to deal with the physical injuries, there is often a need to visit mental health professionals. While insurance might help with some of the costs, there are likely out-of-pocket costs.

Parents may have to take off work to care for the child. Sleepless nights if the child is having nightmares and similar situations can make life difficult for the parents and even worse for the child. The effects are more far-reaching than some people might realize.

We know that you probably never thought that you’d be one of the parents that had to deal with this. If you find that you are, we are here to help. We want to help you hold the responsible party liable for what your child is going through.

We understand the struggles that come with speaking out as a victim. We work on behalf of your child to represent them against the institution that’s responsible for what happened. This includes schools, churches, scouting organizations and any other party that allowed the abuse. We also work to hold individuals accountable in these cases.

These types of situations can take many forms. The key points are that there must be an adult and a child involved, and the activities must have the goal of arousing either the educator or the student. Not all cases of child sexual abuse are physical; however, many cases do involve physical contact.

It is possible that the sexual abuse of a student can entail making sexually explicit comments or showing the student photographs or other things that are of a sexual nature. Even if the student welcomes the behavior, it is still child sexual abuse because minors aren’t legally able to make their own decisions about this area of life, and these decisions shouldn’t be made regarding someone who is in control of the children.

There aren’t any positions in school that are immune to the possibility of child sexual abuse. Teachers are the most common abuser, accounting for around 18% of cases. Coaches account for around 15%, substitute teachers for around 13%, bus drivers for around 12%, teacher’s aides for approximately 11%, other school employees for about 10%, security guards for around 10%, principals for around 6% and counselors for around 5%.

The children who are the victims in these cases often face a long road to recovery. They might need extensive counseling and may suffer from lifelong problems. Their parents might opt to pursue civil action to recover the damages related to the matter.

First, you should file a police report. This could trigger criminal charges against the person if there is evidence that proves they did take advantage of your child. The criminal case can lead to them spending time in prison, paying fines and having to register as a sex offender.

On top of the criminal case, a person accused of sexual misconduct with a child can face a civil lawsuit. This seeks compensation for the damages that the sexual abuse caused. The damages can include money to cover the medical bills and the mental health care bills that you have for your child. It can also involve compensating you for the time you have to miss work while you are helping your child to heal from the abuse.

These cases aren’t always easy to undergo. You will have to discuss the situation, which can be very difficult. Many parents in this position find that the benefit of being able to hold the person accountable far outweighs that negative points of going through this process. We are here to help you ensure that you are able to hold the person liable for the things they did to your child.