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The recent release of Uber’s 84-page safety transparency report has revealed thousands of sexual assaults and serious accidents involving the world’s most popular ridesharing service. According to the long-awaited safety disclosure, there were nearly 6,000 reports of sexual assault and 107 traffic accident deaths involving Uber vehicles in 2017 and 2018. According to the Los Angeles Times, more than 460 of the sexual assault claims involved nonconsensual penetration or rape, 587 reports of … [Read more...]
What are Romeo and Juliet Laws?
When a sexual assault or other sex crime occurs, understanding the law is important. Criminal and civil laws are different, and victims who are harmed by an act of sexual assault or violence may be able to file a civil lawsuit regardless of whether a prosecutor moves forward with a criminal case. Statutory rape is one situation where an abuser could face both criminal and civil cases. California Penal Code Section 261.5 defines unlawful sexual intercourse to include: "an … [Read more...]
Civil Lawsuits for Sexual Abuse: A Guide for Victims
Civil Lawsuits for Sexual Abuse: A Guide for Victims by Michael Waks Criminal courts are often ill-equipped to provide remedies for sexual assault victims. There has been an increasing trend towards victims pursuing civil cases. … [Read more...]
Can You Sue After a Child’s Sexual Assault at a Daycare Center?
Daycare centers are entrusted with the care of children and are expected to act in loco parentis - in place of the parent - while children are under their control. Daycares must provide adequate supervision, follow all state guidelines for licensing and provision of care, and must ensure they exercise reasonable caution in all interactions with children. Sometimes, daycare centers fail in egregious ways and children become victims of criminal acts. When that happens, parents … [Read more...]
Sexual Assault Is A Common Problem: Sexual Assault Victims Have Rights
Sexual Assault Is A Common Problem: Sexual Assault Victims Have Rights by Michael Waks Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network reports that an average of 293,066 victims age 12 and older are raped or sexually assaulted every year. Every 107 seconds, a teen or adult in America is raped or sexually assaulted. Sexual abuse and sexual assault are crimes, but too often perpetrators are not prosecuted. Sexual assault victims have rights. Learn more about it in this presentation. … [Read more...]
Sexual Assault is a Common Problem for LA Metro Riders
Sexual assault can have devastating emotional ramifications, in addition to sometimes causing physical harm. Unfortunately, sexual assault is far more common than most people realize and it can happen in locations where people go every day. Sexual Assault On the Los Angeles Metro The LA Times recently published an article about the problem of sexual assault on the Metro. The Metropolitan Transit Authority conducted a survey of rail riders over the course of May and June. The Transit … [Read more...]
Sexual Assault: How Are Schools Being Made to Provide Broader Protection?
Universities have an obligation to create a safe space for students and can be held accountable for failure to act when there are risks of harm. Currently, there are more than 100 universities across the United States who are under investigation by the Office of Civil Rights for the U.S. Department of Education. The schools are being investigated for their handling of sexual assault concerns. Federal laws require schools to take immediate steps to address not just sexual … [Read more...]
Civil Lawsuits for Sexual Abuse
In 2005, famous comedian Bill Cosby testified in a civil lawsuit brought against him by a former employee of Temple University. The civil lawsuit arose out of claims that Cosby tricked the plaintiff into taking drugs and then subsequently sexually assaulted her. In Cosby’s testimony, he admitted that he had obtained seven prescriptions for Quaaludes in the 1970s and that he had thought about using the drugs on women who he wanted to engage in sexual behavior. While he did not admit to giving … [Read more...]