How child sexual abuse survivors can inadvertently get victimized twice.

Abstract

Child sexual abuse survivors can sometimes get victimized twice. First, they get abused. The second time may be by their own parent(s). By focusing more on a civil lawsuit to collect a sizable settlement or jury award instead of their child’s mental health, the parent may inadvertently or callously display indifference to their own child. As a result, the child may be retraumatized, sometimes feeling that their own actions contributed to their abuse. This is not, of course, to say that civil lawsuits are inappropriate in such circumstances. They may not be frivolous, but neither may they merit being brought. Nor is it about meeting the burden of proof. The point to emphasize is that the pursuit of such a lawsuit must be done with maximum regard for the child survivor. The key question: Will the lawsuit have a net beneficial therapeutic effect or a traumatizing effect?........ Pursuing litigation in sexual abuse claims, be it for minors, mentally challenged individuals, or even adults, is fraught with obstacles that must be considered by an attorney experienced in the area of sexual abuse. While not every case may be viable for filing a claim, other pretrial considerations with an experienced professional may provide some remedies to the survivors of sexual abuse.