Pursuing Justice for Florida Child Abuse Cases

Nationwide, the issue of child abuse and child sex abuse is widespread. According to the Florida Council Against Sexual Violence, in 2009 alone, 3.3 million child abuse allegations were made with roughly 250,800 of them involving child sex abuse. 

In the state of Florida, each and every individual that might suspect child abuse, sexual or otherwise, is required to report such suspicions to the proper authorities per Florida Statute 39.201. This means that should a teacher, school nurse, doctor, or any other individual that may notice signs of child abuse see such signs of abuse, they could face legal consequences for not reporting their evidence to the authorities. 

Crimes against children are some of the most difficult to cope with and will likely have long-term negative effects for the rest of a child’s life. Nothing can undo such horrible acts, but at Pipas Law we are here to provide as much help as we can in such a difficult situation. 

Florida Child Sex Abuse 

Child sex abuse is one of the most devastating crimes to have to go through. There are local resources to help victims and their families as well as services to help with the healing process. These resources and services are important, however, with such a traumatic experience, many survivors may not disclose their abuse until much later in life. 

Under what circumstances would sexual abuse occur?

It is commonly said that most child abusers are closely linked to the abused child, it is unlikely that an abuser would be a complete stranger. 

Many sexual abuse assaults occur in schools, churches, after-school programs, or similar instances. Oftentimes, abusers are trusted individuals in a professional setting. Nobody is exempt from the potential to be an abuser, so it is important to remain vigilant with who your child interacts with and is alone with.

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What qualifies as child sex abuse?

Any sexual act with a child is considered child sex abuse. There are different types of abuse detailed below.

Psychological abuse: An abuser will psychologically manipulate their victim into doing sexual acts. 

Indecent exposure: An abuser will inappropriately expose themselves sexually to a child. (Exposing genitals or pornography to a child)

Child pornography: An abuser will create, share, or consume child pornography.

Rape: If an abuser engages in any physical sexual contact with a child, that is considered rape and is highly illegal. 

All forms of child sex abuse are illegal and abusers should face serious legal consiquences. The lifelong effects that sexual abuse can have on an individual range from mental disorders to physical conditions as well. Survivors may struggle to cope with the aftermath of sexual abuse for the rest of their lifes. 

Life after abuse is difficult for survivors and their families. We understand how traumatic these situations are and we stand with the survivors in their fight to get their lives back. We truly believe in bringing your Florida child abuse case to justice. 

If you would like to discuss your Florida child abuse case with one of our discrete and trusting attorneys, please give us a call. We look forward to getting you the compensation you deserve.