Sexual abuse compensation

Sexual abuse is a traumatic experience.

If you’ve experienced sexual abuse, you may want justice, compensation, or simply an apology. You may also want further advice and support.

Whether the sexual abuse suffered was by an individual or institution, you deserve justice. For many people, this includes the compensation you may be entitled to. While compensation can't undo the experience of suffering abuse, it can help you start to move on with your life.

Whichever course of action you choose, our lawyers have many years’ experience of working with survivors of abuse, and will always have your best interests at heart. You’ll find us sensitive to your needs, expert at listening, and thoughtful and considered when explaining the options open to you.

Where abuse can occur?

Below are some areas where sexual abuse can occur:

• Abuse in Children Homes
• Abuse in Hospital & Healthcare
• Abuse in Religious Organisations
• Abuse in Schools by Teachers
• Abuse in Scouts or Cadets
• Abuse in Sport

If you have suffered from sexual abuse in any of the above settings, please contact one of our sexual abuse compensation solicitors today.

What counts as sexual abuse?

Sexual abuse includes any form of touching without a person’s true consent. In legal terms, that means knowing you have the right to say no, you understand the possible outcomes of saying yes, you’re not tricked into saying yes, and are of an age or mental ability to say yes. Sexual abuse can also include being watched or photographed naked, without consent.

If the victim is a child, is mentally impaired – whether permanently or due to alcohol or drugs – or is under pressure, it will be viewed as no true consent.

You can also take action for forced circumcision, male or female, if it’s against the law in the country it happened.

Rape and sexual abuse are serious crimes, and the police have officers trained specially to help you. However, you don’t have to go to the police. We may be able to help and can advise you in confidence.

How we can help with sexual abuse claims

Our team of specialist sexual abuse solicitors have helped many people secure sexual abuse compensation. One of our team can offer you a free consultation to give you advice on making a claim. They can meet you at home, in our office, or any location you choose – or we can talk on the phone if you prefer.

Please don't feel worried or embarrassed discussing your claim with one of us. We'll deal with your case with great care and attention, and completely confidentially, to help you achieve the justice you deserve.

Our expertise in abuse claims

Partner, Alan Collins, leads our team of sexual abuse solicitors. Alan has helped many people who’ve suffered abuse with compensation claims and is one of the best-known solicitors in abuse litigation. Alan has acted in many high-profile cases, including the Jimmy Savile and Max Clifford abuse scandals. Alan represents clients in the UK and internationally and has worked on sexual abuse claims all over the world, including in Australia, Uganda, Kenya, and California.

The Jersey Redress Scheme for Abuse at Les Chenes

Opened in 1979 and running until the 2000s, Les Chênes was supposed to be a residential home for children with a remand function. However, the Independent Jersey Care Inquiry report noted that all residents – whether young offenders or not – were, “in effect, serving sentences” there.

Some former residents alleged that they were subjected to emotional as well as physical abuse whilst on remand at Les Chenes. Many say they suffered psychological damage as a result of their experiences.

Hugh James represented over a hundred former residents in their case for compensation.

If you are a former resident of Les Chenes you might be entitled to compensation.

For more information on the details of the redress scheme, please visit our dedicated Jersey Redress Scheme page:

CLICK HERE

The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA)

Hugh James represents various core participants at the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse.

The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse was set up in the wake of some serious high profile instances of non-recent child sexual abuse and because the government had some very grave concerns that some organisations were failing and were continuing to fail to protect children from sexual abuse.

IICSA’s remit is wide-ranging, but as a statutory inquiry, it has unique authority to compel both witnesses and any material it considers necessary in order to investigate where institutions have let children down in the past.

IICSA has, for example, examined the Anglican and Roman Catholic churches and is due to hold hearings in relation to the Jehovah Witnesses and other Christian denominations as well as other religions.

For more information on IICSA, please get in touch by clicking on the phone or envelope icons on this page.

Client Case: Filming without consent

We have successfully obtained settlement against our client’s co-worker who had secretly filmed him in the bathroom during the working day.

The individual had used his mobile phone to take the images of our client on at least one occasion without our client’s knowledge or consent.

The claim was brought directly against the individual rather than the employer as the act was not completed in the ‘course of employment or akin to employment’ which would have deemed the employers vicariously liable for the act.

We were able to negotiate with the perpetrator to come to an early settlement for psychological injury and loss of earnings which followed on from the incident.

Client Case: Church of England vicar abused young boy  

We recently represented a client who bravely disclosed the abuse he had suffered at the hands of his local vicar in the early 1980’s when he was a young boy.

The vicar in question had been accused previously of sexual misconduct against a child but after a short period was permitted to return to the church where he continued to abuse at least two other survivors.

In addition to conducting the civil claim, we were able to support the client while he attended the criminal trial and also with a media appearance in which our client spoke out against the abuser.

The claim was settled without the need for civil court proceedings. Our client also received an apology letter from the church which was important for him as the church recognised failings within the institution.

Client Case: Abuse from a secondary school teacher

We represented a woman who had been sexually assaulted and groomed by her school teacher throughout her secondary school years. This had impacted her education greatly and delayed her career.

The school in question had been aware of previous inappropriate behaviour by the said teacher but allowed him to remain in his position of trust. The client disclosed the abuse whilst she remained a pupil, however the school did not report this to the police.

The claim was brought outside of the limitation period, however we were able to progress the claim swiftly without needing to issue court proceedings.

We secured a settlement for our client, to reflect her psychological injury and loss of earnings from a delay in her career.

Client Case: Abuse suffered in a children’s home

We recently represented a client who only disclosed her abuse she suffered in a children’s home after finding a book by another survivor disclosing their experience. This encouraged our client to disclose the abuse she had suffered at a children’s home in the 1970’s for the first time.

Our client had been placed by a local authority into a large children’s home, which were common placements for children in the 1960’s -1970’s who were removed from their families.

The claim was made substantially out of time for limitation (almost 40 years) with no conviction against our client’s abusers. Due to the passage of time, our client could not recall all of her abuser’s names.

Another hurdle that we faced was that our client’s records were no longer available, other than dates on entry into the home.

A financial settlement was reached with the local authority prior to issue of court proceedings. This provided our client with some closure that there was recognition for the abuse she suffered and after many decades of worry she would not be believed, she was.

Featured Podcast

HJ Talks About Abuse: Abuse by Overseas Teacher James Alexander

Over the last few months, we have discussed abuse in education by teachers. Within such profession, we expect a high standard from those looking after children to have sufficient background checks and be of suitable character.

We now turn to discuss abuse overseas following the conviction of British Music National teacher, James Alexander.

Alexander was a former British employed teacher who had worked at Bromsgrove International School in Bangkok.  During his time overseas, he tried to orchestrate the abuse of young girls in the Philippines.

Read more

Organisations that can help