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 Authority asked several questions as part of its regular poll of passengers, including whether the passengers had experienced any type of sexual harassment on the metro over the course of the past six months.
Approximately 19 percent of the passengers who were interviewed said they had been victimized by some type of sexual harassment. This means around 3,760 people out of 20,000 involved in the survey had experienced sexual assault or other unwanted sexual behavior. This is a decrease from last spring when 22 percent of riders indicated they had been victimized on the train. Still, far too many passengers are being subjected to harmful unwanted sexual behavior, including close to one in 14 metro passengers who said they had been groped or fondled on the train. An even greater number, one in 10, has been subjected to indecent exposure while on the train.
When interviewing both bus and rail riders about their experiences over the past six months, 14 percent of bus riders and 17 percent of rail riders indicated they’d been the target of some kind of non-physical sexual harassment. This includes sexual comments or sexual gestures. Seven percent of bus passengers and seven percent of rail riders also reported physical sexual harassment, including fondling, touching, or groping that was not wanted.
The Advocates for Human Rights warns that sexual harassment can have physical and psychological consequences for victims. Anxiety, depression, sleep disturbance, weight loss or gain, headaches, and even post-traumatic stress disorder may result after harassment. For train riders or bus riders who may have no other viable option but to take public transportation to work, the risk of harassment can become a daily fear. When harassment does occur, they can face lingering mental health issues. No sexual assault or harassment is ever harmless, and victims can pursue a civil case for any related physical and/or emotional damages.
Sexual assault cases can be very difficult. If you have been the victim of sexual assault while riding on a Los Angles bus or train and want to pursue a civil case, your attorney must identify a culpable defendant with the resources to compensate you for your damages. If the incident took place on a bus, the most likely viable defendant is usually the bus company that either knew or should have known about what was taking place on it’s bus. Maybe the driver was ignoring the problem. Maybe the on board camera was broken and the bus company failed to fix it, thereby allowing this attack to take place. There could be a multitude of reasons why the bus company shares blame for the incident. That is why you need to have a qualified attorney to analyze your specific set of facts to see if a viable case exists.
Getting Help from a Los Angeles Sexual Assault Lawyer
Your Injuries Are Personal to Me
Victims of sexual assault may be able to take legal action against individuals and organizations that commit sexually abusive behavior, or that facilitate it. Pursuing a civil case has a different standard than a criminal case.
The Law Office of Michael D. Waks provides representation to sexual assault victims. I have helped many clients to successfully pursue a lawsuit seeking full compensation for all damages occurring as a result of the assault they experienced. Call the Law Office of Michael D. Waks at 888-394-1174 or use the convenient online contact form to schedule a free consultation.
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