Child Sex Abuse by Teachers in Los Angeles

You may think that sending your child to school each day is safe. You know where they are, and you trust their teachers and other adults to be responsible stewards. But, according to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN), 60,000 children are sexually assaulted every year, and in one recent year, close to 350 public school educators in kindergarten through 12th grade (K-12) were among those arrested for child sex crimes.

The U.S. Department of Education reports that educators target one in 10 children for grooming at some point during K-12. While these heinous acts can emotionally cripple a child for life, they also torment the parents who were not able to protect their child. At The Cifarelli Law Firm, our skilled school sexual abuse attorneys offer compassionate guidance and experienced advocacy all over Southern California, helping to get your family the compensation necessary to heal after child sex abuse by teachers in Los Angeles. Contact us today to schedule your initial consultation.

What Does the Law Consider Teacher Sex Abuse?

Any adult who looks, shows, or touches a child with the intent of meeting their own sexual needs is sexually abusing the child. The abuse may or may not include contact. For example, showing pornography to a child, watching a child undress or use the toilet, and photographing a child in sexually explicit poses all constitute abuse.

Sexual abuse could be perpetrated by anyone who works with children in a school, including teachers, coaches, principals, and school volunteers. In addition, educators arrested for child sex abuse often use social media to gain a student’s trust as they are grooming them. There are steps our attorneys could help you take if you suspect your child is a target of sexual misconduct by a teacher in Los Angeles.

What You Should Do if Your Child Is Sexually Abused by a Teacher

In California, the age of consent to engage in sexual activity is 18, which means a child younger than 18 cannot legally consent to sex. Even if a student is 18, a teacher can lose their job or teaching license for engaging in sexual activity with them. If you suspect your child has been sexually abused by a teacher, you should:

• Make sure your child understands that you know of the abuse and will keep them safe
• Seek medical care for your child to preserve evidence and to ensure they are not pregnant or infected with a sexually transmitted disease
• Report the abuse to law enforcement or to RAINN at 800-656-HOPE (4673)
• Preserve your child’s clothing and any other evidence
• Contact our firm and learn our strategy for handling child sexual abuse by Los Angeles teachers

The state has recently received an influx of accusations against educators for sexually abusing students. While school districts are insured, we could sue them to compensate students for their losses.

Additionally, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 is a federal law that protects students from sexual abuse, assault, and harassment. If a school district does not have a protocol in place to deal with abuse or if it negligently hired abusive teachers or covered up their wrongful acts, we could help your family file a civil action against the school district and the offending teachers.

Contact Our Los Angeles Attorneys if a Teacher Sexually Abused Your Child

Educators have no right to touch a child sexually or engage in non-contact sexual exploitation. Your child deserves to feel safe at school. Although law enforcement and the state’s attorney’s office decide whether to file criminal charges, The Cifarelli Law Firm could work with you to hold offenders accountable in civil court.

Your child may be entitled to compensation if a school and the school district failed to protect them from a predatory teacher. If you have questions about child sex abuse by teachers in Los Angeles and wonder how we could help you, contact our firm today for compassionate legal guidance.