One of the worst fears parents have is that someone will harm or take advantage of their children in a way that the parents have no control. Teachers and coaches are trusted with children, but when they betray that trust and abuse the children in their care, it can be devastating.
Identifying abuse is often difficult, especially when it happens behind closed doors or when a person in a position of trust and authority is the abuser. There are signs you can look for, but going off of signs alone is not always going to find your answers. Talking with your children and with administrators is the best way to root out abuse – and a lawyer can help.
For a free case evaluation, call Rice Law’s Baltimore, MD sexual abuse lawyers for victims today at (410) 694-7291.
Signs of Abuse in Children
Many of the common signs of abuse are common signs of other stress or challenges in your child’s life. Some of these signs could be easily misinterpreted, so it is important to look at the whole picture.
Not only should you look for these signs, but you should also foster a welcoming atmosphere for your child where they know they can trust you and talk to you about anything. That way, if something is happening that you need to know about, they can be open and confirm any suspicions these signs might give you.
In any case, signs also vary by age and maturity, so take that into account when looking for these signs of abuse.
- Changes in personality, usually resulting in more emotional outbursts or depressive symptoms
- Recoiling from touch
- Lack of enjoyment in activities or hobbies that used to give the child joy
- Sudden drug or alcohol use
- Avoiding discussing the abuser
- Unusual time spent with the suspected abuser, e.g., after hours or in unsupervised locations
- Trouble sleeping/nightmares
- Bruising or other marks/injuries.
How to Tell Abuse from Other Things
Many of the issues discussed above are signs of abuse, but they are also signs of teenage angst, depression, anxiety, or just changes in personality as a child grows up. If you have no reason to suspect abuse, it might be jumping the gun to accuse a teacher or coach of abuse. But parents often have a sixth sense about these things, and you should not just ignore the issue either.
In most cases, whether the symptoms are linked with abuse or everyday depression or anxiety, having your child see a therapist they can trust and open up to could be helpful. This could help them get the courage to talk about what’s happening to them, no matter how serious.
Talking with your child and fostering open communication also helps confirm suspicions one way or another.
What to Do if a Child Reports Abuse by a Coach or Teacher?
If your child does disclose that they have been abused to a therapist, or another member of the staff at their school, community center, church, or other place, it is likely they are a mandated reported. This means they must make a report to the proper authorities about the alleged abuse, giving details about the alleged abuser.
The goal here is to stop abuse in its tracks and start a paperwork trail that can help investigators confirm the abuse and get the abuser out of positions of authority or contact with children.
If your child discloses abuse to you, you likely are not mandated reporter. However, you can and should still report the abuse. Our sexual abuse lawyers for victims can help you navigate this difficult time by helping you locate the proper authorities to report the abuse to, such as Title IX coordinators at the child’s school, the principal, or other people, as well as the police.
Can I Press Charges if My Child Was Abused?
Reporting abuse to the police is often an important step in stopping the abuse, keeping your child safe, and keeping other kids safe, too. Minors are often protected in the criminal justice system, allowing them to keep some level of anonymity and safety when physical or sexual abuse reports are made.
You typically can press charges, but what specific charges are filed will depend on the police and prosecutors and what evidence they are able to turn up. In any case, our lawyers can help you review the charges and see if they are satisfactory.
Can I Sue for Damages if My Child was Abused by a Coach or Teacher?
Lawsuits can often be filed for sexual abuse or physical abuse by a coach or teacher, but the path is not always clear. There may be reports that need to be made under Title IX first if your child was abused in a school setting. After these reports are made and the investigation takes place, you can often file in court for damages.
Lawsuits against schools are often tricky because they are often public/government entities. In a private school, the situation might be different. Our lawyers can help you navigate the additional notice requirements and any roadblocks to damages.
Getting damages this way is often important, given that the criminal justice system seeks punishment, not compensation. In a lawsuit, you can get compensation for your child’s medical and therapy bills, as needed, along with other damages to account for the harm they faced.
Statute of Limitations on Child Sexual Abuse Lawsuits Against in Maryland
Civil lawsuits and criminal charges both have a statute of limitations that blocks the ability to file a claim after a certain time has passed. For civil lawsuits based on child sexual abuse, the child victim typically has until they reach 18 to file a lawsuit. In many cases, a survivor of sexual abuse might repress thoughts or emotions, and it might take years for a victim to fully realize what happened to them and how wrong it was. To recognize this, the law does expand a victim’s rights, allowing lawsuits until 20 years after the victim turns 18 or 3 years after the offender is convicted of a crime for the abuse.
In some cases, it might be more difficult to sue an institution for sexual abuse after the victim turns 18. While the law generally gives victims 20 years after they turn 18 to file their lawsuit, this only applies to suing the direct actor who abused them. To sue an institution or another individual that shared indirect fault in allowing the abuse to occur, you must file the case within 7 years of turning 18. This limitation does not apply in cases involving gross negligence by the school or other institution, and a victim should still have 20 years after they turn 18 to file one of those cases.
In school sexual abuse lawsuits filed against a public school, there might be additional limitations. Lawsuits against government entities in Maryland are often limited in the amount the court can order in damages. Since public schools are operated by the government, this might limit the damages the school pays, but not the damages the individual pays. These limitations usually would not apply to private schools, Catholic schools, or other parochial schools not run by the government.
What if My Child Doesn’t Want to Report the Abuse?
In many cases, your first calls about abuse should be to the police and the school, but your child might not want to report what happened. Your child is going through an incredibly difficult and scary time, and making sure that they have autonomy and control over the situation is often incredibly important.
Talking with you, with a therapist, and with a lawyer can help them understand the strength it takes to report what happened, to stand up against it, and to stop it from happening to others. When children are given the space to take control of the situation and agree on their own terms to report the abuse, it is often the best path forward instead of reporting the abuse without their say-so.
In any case, reporting abuse without your child’s consent might turn them into an uncooperative witness, hurting their civil case and making criminal prosecution harder. Going over their head is often the worst option.
Damages for Child Victims of Sexual Abuse
The harm that a sexual abuse survivor endures is often difficult to measure. Some harms, like mental and emotional harm, might be impossible for someone else to grasp. A survivor of abuse may even have difficulty confronting the harm they faced and explaining it to others. Regardless, there are still many areas of damages that these victims can claim in court to seek compensation for the abuse they faced from a teacher or other school employee.
First, the victim can seek damages for any medical expenses. This can include the cost of medical bills to treat physical injuries as well as the cost of mental health treatment and counseling. Second, mental health issues like depression, PTSD, and other disorders often stem from trauma like this, and these issues might make it harder to work or find employment. If the survivor can prove that the abuse they faced caused future lost wages, they might be able to claim these lost wages as damages.
Lastly, survivors of sexual abuse by a schoolteacher or administrator can claim damages for the intangible harms they face. the mental and emotional suffering of this kind of event can last for a lifetime, and victims often deserve high levels of financial compensation for these harms. Talk to an attorney today for help understanding what your claim might be worth.
Call Our Sexual Abuse Lawyers for Victims and their Families Today
For a free, confidential case review, call Rice Law’s Maryland sexual abuse lawyers for victims today at (410) 694-7291.