What can Suing your Sexual Assault or Abuse Offender Accomplish?

There are two primary ways in which survivors of sexual assault or abuse can seek legal remedies: through criminal complaints or civil lawsuits (or both). Choosing to sue those who harmed you can be a painful and often overwhelming decision to make.

However, for some survivors, bringing a lawsuit can help them regain a feeling of control over their lives.

It is your right to seek remedy for damages and suffering caused by sexual assault or abuse. Those damages may include:

• Compensation for general pain and suffering;

• Compensation for any past or future monetary or economic loss, including but not limited to reduced income;

• Compensation for past and future medical or therapeutic care, including medication; and

• Compensation for past and future loss of interdependency.