South Carolina Sexual Assault Lawyer

Approximately every 73 seconds, an American is sexually assaulted; about every 9 minutes, the victim is a child. Unfortunately, only 5 out of every 1,000 perpetrators end up in jail.

Victims of sexual assault deserve the opportunity to expose perpetrators, attain closure, and move forward with their lives.  However, life after sexual violence or assault can be plagued with hardships, as victims often suffer lifelong emotional, behavioral, and social adjustment issues.

At Mickelsen Dalton, we advocate for victims of sexual assault and human sex trafficking. Sexual assault can happen anywhere. It happens at motels, apartment complexes, commercial establishments, and churches. Our focus is to identify and hold accountable third parties (beyond the perpetrator) for their role in allowing sexual assault to occur, such as through negligent security, negligent supervision, negligent training, negligent hiring and retention, and negligence in allowing sex trafficking to take place in their hotels and facilities.

If you have been the victim of sexual assault on the property of someone else or at the hands of a perpetrator in an organization, we invite you to call our offices today to schedule a free consultation to learn how we can help.  You will never pay any upfront expenses, we advance all litigation costs, and we only receive a fee for our services if we are successful in recovering compensation.

Our Experienced Sexual Assault Lawyers Help Victims Seek Justice!

At Mickelsen Dalton, we recognize the harm suffered by sexual assault survivors and have the know-how to help victims seek maximum compensation through the court system. As experienced sexual assault lawyers, we zealously advocate for the rights of sexual assault victims in seeking to secure full compensation from businesses, commercial establishments, and organizations that are legally responsible, in whole or part.

Our sexual assault practice is focused on representing victims against businesses, institutions, and organizations that, through negligence, intentional ignorance (i.e., looking the other way), or willful misconduct, allowed or facilitated abuse. We understand that no amount of money can make up for a sexual assault, but it can significantly aid in a victim’s long-term recovery and may prevent a perpetrator from attacking other individuals.

What Types of Sexual Assault Cases Does Mickelsen Dalton Handle?

We have a reputation for representing clients in the most challenging cases. While we appreciate that all sexual assault victims deserve quality representation, those who sustain significant injuries in violent sexual assaults are often turned away by other firms, as many lawyers are unwilling to devote the time, resources, and dedication needed to fight these types of tough cases. We believe sexual assault victims deserve better!

We genuinely care about upholding victims’ rights, no matter how strong the opposition. We are bold, relentless trial lawyers who will not back down, even when faced with significant challenges. We handle a broad range of sexual assault cases related to:

• Sex Trafficking
• Child Sexual Abuse
• Violent Rape
• Teen Sexual Abuse
• Workplace Sexual Assault
• Sexual Assault by Clergy
• Sexual Assault in Schools
• Sexual Assault in Youth Organizations
• Nursing Home Sexual Assault
• Sexual Assault in Apartment Complexes
• Wrongful Death

Although we understand that it can be difficult to report a sexual assault, as it may require opening old wounds, reporting an incident can be critical to stopping a criminal from harming other victims. Further, obtaining justice is often a vital part of the healing process, as all victims deserve to see negligent businesses and organizations held accountable that have a role in permitting assaults to occur.

If you were sexually assaulted, we want to help you. Call our office to schedule a free, confidential consultation to learn about your legal options.

What Constitutes Sex Trafficking?

Sex trafficking consists of using victims for sexual exploitation. Often the victims are girls and very young women who are held against their will by the perpetrators and forced to perform sexual acts in consideration for payments made by “customers” of the perpetrators.

In addition to holding perpetrators and “customers” liable, others who are involved in sex trafficking that knew (or should have known) about the illegal activities can also be held financially liable. This can include the owners of hotels or motels where the illegal activities take place, as well as any others involved in furthering the sex trafficking activities.

What Types of Entities May Be Liable for Sexual Assault?

The entities that may be liable for sexual assault include:

• Churches and religious organizations
• Civic organizations, such as the Boy Scouts
• School districts, if the administration knew or should have known about inappropriate conduct between teachers or other district employees and students
• Apartment owners, who may be liable for all manner of sexual assaults that may take place on their premises
• Retail stores and establishments, who may not provide adequate security or lighting in parking lots
• Colleges and universities, which in addition to liability for sexual assaults that may take place as the result of measures such as inadequate campus security or the admission of sex offenders who may be allowed to live in campus housing, must also comply with the Clery Act inaccurately reporting incidences of sexual assault
• Businesses that may allow sexual assault to occur in the workplace (including at off-site conferences and conventions)
• Governmental entities
• A variety of other potential defendants.

What Types of Damages are Available in a Sexual Abuse Civil Lawsuit?

The circumstances surrounding each sexual assault are unique. Thus, placing a monetary value on the physical, economic, and emotional ramifications of sexual exploitation is a challenging task. This highlights the need for exceptional legal counsel.

Sexual assault victims may be entitled to recover compensation for some or all of the following through a civil lawsuit:

• Emotional, mental, or physical pain and suffering
• Past and future medical expenses (including expenses for therapy and counseling)
• Lost wages
• Future income loss
• Loss of companionship and consortium
• Punitive damages (in particularly egregious cases)

What Should I Do If I Believe a Loved One Was Sexually Assaulted?

Minors aged twelve to seventeen are two to three times more likely than adults to be victims of an assault, and nearly half of all rape sufferers are female children. Whether a victim is a child or an adult or a male or female, it can be extremely difficult to report a sexual assault, as individuals are often reluctant to do so out of fear, traumatization, shame, embarrassment, or because they think authorities may not believe them. In fact, research shows that only 230 out of every 1,000 sexual assaults are reported to the police, meaning 3 out of 4 sexual assaults go unreported.

If you suspect that a loved one (especially a child) has been sexually assaulted, you might prevent others from being harmed by reporting your suspicions. While having some of the following symptoms does not necessarily mean someone has been the victim of sexual abuse, the following are some of the common symptoms that sexual assault survivors experience:

• Fear of Abandonment & Being Alone
• Fear of the Dark
• Fear of Rejection
• Fear of Change
• Fear of Intimacy
• Fear of Being Out of Control
• Fear of Sexuality or Sexual Feelings
• Unexplained Fear of Locations (e.g., parks, schools, woods, closets, bedrooms, etc.)
• Fear of Pelvic Exams
• Fear of Certain Persons
• Ignoring Body Signals (e.g., pain, fatigue, hunger, etc.)
• Wearing Baggy Clothing or Gaining Weight to Protect Oneself
• Body Numbness
• Muscle Tension, Headaches, and Backaches
• Unexplained Gastrointestinal Distress
• Eating Disorders
• Alcoholism
• Feelings of Extreme Guilt
• Depression
• Rigidity
• Shutting Down Emotionally
• Low Self-Esteem
• Self-Destructive Behavior
• Body Dysmorphia
• Denial or Minimization
• Withdrawal and Isolation
• Inability to Deal with Strong Feelings
• Humorlessness
• General Hopelessness
• Trust Issues
• Anger Issues
• Relationship Issues & Difficulty Making Commitments to Others
• Mistreating Others
• Difficulty Bathing Children
• Sexual Avoidance
• Giving Sex to Feel Loved
• Sexual Deviancy
• Promiscuity
• Compulsive/Obsessive Sex
• Memory Gaps
• Flashbacks
• Nightmares

Consult with Our Experienced South Carolina Sexual Assault Lawyers

If you or someone you love has been sexually assaulted or were the victim of human sex trafficking, report the incident to police, seek immediate medical attention, and reach out to Mickelsen Dalton for dedicated and compassionate legal counsel.

By reaching out to our firm to schedule a free case evaluation, you can seek to hold abusers and their enablers accountable.  We have recovered millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements on behalf of clients in a wide variety of injury and wrongful death cases, and we stand ready to put our experience and resources to work for you! Contact us today.