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Child sexual abuse in New Jersey is an ongoing epidemic that seems to only be getting worse.
However, under the new bill signed into law in February 2019, as of December of 2019, any adult who was a victim of child sexual abuse has an expanded statute of limitations.
More importantly, starting December 2019, if you were told your statute of limitations ran out to file a claim for child sexual abuse, you have 2 years to file a claim, no matter how long ago the abuse occurred or your current age.
For the past 25 years, the experienced attorneys at the Derek Smith Law Group have helped child sexual abuse victims get the compensation and justice they deserve.
Child sexual abuse in New Jersey occurs when a minor between the ages of 0 and 17 is sexually engaged, whether through physical acts, communications, or exploitive measures, by a person age 18 or older. Some examples of child sexual abuse include the following acts involving a minor:
Victims of child sexual abuse can carry the pain of their ordeal for the rest of their lives. The effects of child sexual abuse can be physical, emotional, and psychological. Many of these victims never knew what many know as a normal childhood and are working to learn a new normal that helps them move forward in their lives and find a way to be a survivor. Effects of child sexual abuse can be, but are not limited to:
Victims of child sexual abuse in New Jersey are any minor child between the ages of 0 and 17. The individuals are of every gender, race, national origin, color, religion, socioeconomic status, and more. In other words, child sexual abuse does not discriminate against anyone and the person on your left and right could both be victims of child sexual abuse.
As a matter of fact, the New Jersey YMCA Alliance says that there are over 42 million adult survivors of child sexual abuse. As a matter of fact, of all of the sexual assault reported to the authorities, over 70% of the victims are children.
Under New Jersey’s new law, beginning December 2019, a victim of child sexual assault can file a claim in civil court up until his or her 55th birthday or within 7 years of realizing there was damage suffered as a result of the child sexual assault. Additionally, any person who previously attempted to file a lawsuit for child sexual assault and was denied because of the statute of limitations has 2 years to file that claim, regardless of age.
Most child sexual abuse perpetrators are trusted adults to their child victims. As a matter of fact, over 90% of victims of child sexual abuse know the abuser. These abusers get to know the child and groom him or her because the abuser is a trusted adult.
Some of the most common adult influences in a child’s life to perpetrate child sexual abuse are, but not limited to:
Child sexual abuse may occur at the hands of one person, but fault can lie within the entire village. Many times, other adults who are meant to protect children fail at their job, allowing the children to be more vulnerable or allowing child sexual abusers to move from victim to victim. These people are accomplices in the crimes and should be included in any civil lawsuit.
Some of these types of people may be:
Discover how our expertise has helped clients overcome their legal challenges and achieve successful outcomes.
View All TestimonialsOlivia is the best! Oliva was very thorough, patient, and very detailed and descriptive regarding the process. She was very supportive of my sexual harassment case. From the very beginning, she communicated and would provide me with any updates and she was always available when I needed anything. More importantly, she always extended that comfort level of trust which always made me feel at peac... Read Full Testimonial
Casey Barkhordarian is a fabulous attorney to work with. He explained everything to me about the case (including the millions of questions I asked) right from the start of our very first meeting. He did so in a way that I could understand and was very prompt and clear with communication the entire time. Casey Barkhordarian is a very competent and knowledgeable lawyer to have on your team. I def... Read Full Testimonial
Matt Finkleberg is by far the best attorney I’ve ever hired! From the outset, it was evident that he was not just another lawyer; Matt is nothing short of extraordinary. He possesses the ability to do his job phenomenally while somehow managing to give me hope during one of my darkest of hours. Matt consistently returned my calls promptly, regardless of my questions, confusion, or self-doubt ... Read Full Testimonial
I cannot speak highly enough about my experience working with Matt Finkelberg. From the very beginning, Matt approached my case with an incredible level of professionalism, knowledge, and dedication that immediately put me at ease. It is rare to find an attorney who not only possesses an impressive depth of legal expertise but who also truly cares about the well-being and best interests of thei... Read Full Testimonial
Olivia is absolutely outstanding! She understands the emotional side of your case while being able to find the legal aspects of holding the employer accountable for breaking the law! Made a really terrible situation a little easier by explaining everything and helping me get everything in order and in the right hands. I would not use anyone else! Call them for any sexual harassment case... You ... Read Full Testimonial
This law firm is absolutely amazing!!! They went so above and beyond for me!!! I am so grateful for all their help with my difficult case!!! If you need a lawyer, you will be in great hands with their firm!!! And wait until you see the office! The building is so high tech I couldn't figure out how to get in the elevator lol!
It was a pleasure to have Casey represent and help me for my employment case. It was my first time needing an attorney, so I was a bit apprehensive at first – Casey took the time to answer all of my questions and fully explain everything to me, which really put me at ease. He was very attentive, supportive, and knowledgeable throughout the whole process – Casey would ask questions to ensure... Read Full Testimonial
matt is an excellent attorney. he handled my case with the utmost care and highly exceeded all expectations. i could not recommend derek smith and esp. matt finkelberg enough
matt is an excellent attorney. he handled my case with the utmost care and highly exceeded all expectations. i could not recommend derek smith and esp. matt finkelberg enough 🙂
Matt handled a suit against the City of LA and members of the a Neighborhood Council for racial discrimination and harassment. Ths was the first suit of this type filed on a Neighborhood Council Matt handled it with poise and above all professionalism. He walked me through the 3 year process and above all provided moral support and encouragement as I still experienced racism and harassment duri... Read Full Testimonial
Matt Finkelberg is Amazing and Devotional! It was a pleasure to have Matt represent me for my employment case. He was very attentive, supportive, and knowledgable throughout the whole process. Whenever I reached out he responded promptly which I greatly appreciated. Matt fought diligently and hard throughout my case to make sure my case was represented best. Thank you again Matt for everything.... Read Full Testimonial
It was a pleasure to have Casey represent and help me for my employment case. It was my first time needing an attorney, so I was a bit apprehensive at first – Casey took the time to answer all of my questions and fully explain everything to me, which really put me at ease. He was very attentive, supportive, and knowledgeable throughout the whole process – Casey would ask questions to ensure... Read Full Testimonial
Empower your voice and take action against sexual harassment in every workplace, community, and home.
In New Jersey criminal courts, a person committing child sexual abuse against a victim under the age of 13 or between the ages of 13 and 16 and you have some type of control over them, like a family member, is committing aggravated sexual assault. The sentence is up to 20 years in prison.
If the victim is ages 13 to 17, or between 16 and 18 and a family member, you are committing sexual assault, which carries a sentence of up to 10 years in prison. All convicted offenders of child sexual assault must register with the National sex offender registry.
In civil court, victims of child sexual assault are entitled to monetary remedies that can be used to help them cover expenses and move on with their lives.
Some of the available remedies include:
It truly takes a village to help a child or an adult who was the victim of child sexual abuse recover and move on to a better life. Below are some resources available to help you move past the trauma and become a survivor.
No child should ever have to lose their childhood because a monster decided to take their innocence in the form of child sexual abuse.
If you or a loved one has been the victim of child sexual abuse, the experienced attorneys at the Derek Smith Law Group in New Jersey can help.
Contact us today at (973) 388-8625 for a free consultation. We do not collect any money until you win your case.
Our experienced legal team provides reliable services in key U.S. cities, ensuring expert assistance for workplace discrimination and employment law matters wherever you are located.
Take action against harassment now. We’ll stand by your side every step of the way.