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Sexual assault is a traumatic, heinous act that can happen to anyone. Recovery, both physical and psychological, can take years. Unfortunately, sexual assault is prevalent in Washington, DC, and across the United States. The Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network claims that an American is sexually assaulted every 68 seconds. If you or your loved one were a victim of sexual assault in Washington, DC, the most important to remember is that the assault was not your fault. Though nothing can change what happened to you, there is hope and there are ways to seek justice.
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The Regan Zambri Long PLLC, sexual assault victim lawyers have an extensive history of protecting their client’s rights. You will work with seasoned attorneys who will show you the utmost compassion while fighting fiercely to make sure the criminal who assaulted you is held accountable for their actions. The Regan Zambri Long PLLC personal injury attorneys, will protect your privacy and work to get you the care you need following the assault.
Below is a sample of some of the personal injury verdicts and settlements we have achieved on behalf of our clients.
Call today for a free consultation with an experienced sexual assault attorney who will walk alongside you through the claims process. There is no need to face this journey alone. Contact us for a no-obligation consultation, and take the first step towards your physical and emotional recovery.
According to the United States Department of Justice, sexual assault is any nonconsensual sexual act forbidden by Federal, tribal, or State law. This includes when the victim cannot consent. Forms of sexual assault can include rape, attempted rape, unwanted sexual touching, or forcing the sexual assault victim to perform sexual acts. The term “force” is not always physical pressure. Emotional and psychological manipulation are often used to overpower the victim. Sexual predators will also use threats of violence and other forms of intimidation tactics to abuse their victims.
Sexual assault is never the victim’s fault. You have the right to control what happens to your own body. If someone violates that right, they are the only ones to blame.
The terms sexual abuse and sexual assault are mostly interchangeable. However, sexual assault usually describes acts committed towards adults, while sexual abuse is often connected to sexual violence committed towards children. In Washington, DC, the age of consent is 16 years old. If someone over the age of consent forces a child (someone under 16 years of age) to perform sexual acts, the sex crime is categorized as child sexual abuse. Sexual abuse of children includes exposing oneself to a minor, sexual intercourse, fondling, obscene messages, child pornography, and sex trafficking.
If you are a parent of a child who has been sexually abused, reach out to a Regan Zambri Long PLLC sexual abuse victim lawyer immediately. The lawyers will be able to guide you through the steps to ensure the safety of your child and to seek fair compensation for the physical injuries and the emotional trauma they suffered.
Washington, DC code classifies four degrees of sexual offenses. The first and second degrees address a sexual act, such as penetration. The third and fourth degrees address sexual contact, like inappropriate touching.
First Degree Sexual Abuse: When an offender engages in or causes the victim to engage in a sexual act by the following means:
Second Degree Sexual Abuse: When an offender engages in or causes the victim to engage in a sexual act by the following means:
Third Degree Sexual Abuse: When an offender engages in or causes the victim to engage in a sexual act by the following means:
Fourth Degree Sexual Abuse: When an offender engages in or causes the victim to engage in a sexual act by the following means:
There are different types of injuries a sexual assault victim can suffer, both physical and psychological. While physical injuries may heal in time, psychological injuries from sexual assault can last a lifetime. The Washington, DC, metropolitan police report that sexual violence costs $127 billion annually.
Physical injuries and medical consequences sexual assault victims can sustain are:
Psychological consequences can include:
If you are a victim of sexual assault, you have the right to seek justice on a criminal level and a civil level. Criminal sexual assault cases are used to punish the abuser, while civil sexual assault cases are used to provide compensation to the victim. It is important to note that you can pursue both a criminal case and a civil case at the same time.
Reach out to our attorneys today to have a free consultation with an experienced sexual assault lawyer. They will be able to help you determine which type of lawsuit to pursue to ensure you are fairly compensated for physical and psychological injuries while making sure the sexual predator is held accountable.
DC sexual civil lawsuits fall under personal injury law and can benefit the victim by providing financial compensation for medical expenses and emotional trauma related to the assault. The statute of limitations to file a personal injury claim in Washington, DC is three years. While that may seem like a long time, it is beneficial to file as quickly as possible while the details of the assault are fresh in your mind. Medical bills pile up quickly, so the sooner you file a claim, the sooner your Regan Zambri Long PLLC sexual assault lawyer can secure the maximum compensation.
To build your case against the perpetrator, your lawyer will use the following:
Washington, DC, provides many places for sexual assault victims to report sexual violence and resources to help heal after the assault.
Believe it or not, the majority of sexual abuse victims know their attacker before the assault. 7 in 10 adult rape and sexual assault victims know their attacker, while 90% of children also know their abuser. This is one of the reasons why victims often do not report the abuse to law enforcement. Many fear retaliation, while others do not want the attacker to be in trouble with the law. The most important thing for a sexual assault survivor to understand is that the assault was not your fault. Holding the offender responsible for what they did to you is justice, and it is indeed what you deserve.
The Council of the District of Columbia defines consent as words or actions indicating a freely given agreement to the sexual act or contact in question. If the victim did not verbally or physically resist the sexual contact because they were forced, threatened, or coerced, that is not considered consent.
Unfortunately, sexual assault while using rideshare services is becoming too common in the DC Metro area. The rider has little control when entering the Uber or Lyft driver’s vehicle. If you or your loved one was sexually assaulted in an Uber or Lyft ride, contact our Uber sexual assault attorney immediately to help guide you through the claims process. Ridesharing companies are large, and it can be intimidating to try to take them on. Our sexual assault attorneys will help you navigate the process and fight fiercely for your rights.
Yes. In the United States, 26.4% of undergraduate females and 6.8% of undergraduate males experience rape or sexual assault through physical force, violence, and incapacitation. There are about 86,000 students in DC. The universities and colleges combat sexual misconduct on campus through multiple programs, classes, and staffing. However, even with strict measures in place, they cannot stop all sexual violence from occurring. If you are a student, faculty, or staff member on a college campus in DC and have been a victim of sexual assault, call the sexual assault lawyers at Regan Zambri Long PLLC today.
