Las Vegas Sexual Assault and Abuse Attorneys
Strong advocacy for sexual abuse victims in Nevada
Sexual abuse is a life-changing event. The consequences of these attacks can include infectious diseases, bruises, unwanted pregnancies, and other types of physical and emotional harm. Victims of sexual abuse almost always suffer psychological trauma that can last a lifetime. Many victims have difficulty establishing relationships. Sexual abuse often prevent victims from trusting people again. At Claggett & Sykes, our team is experienced in handling sexual abuse cases and has obtained landmark verdicts and settlements across the country. We understand the unique challenges involved with these claims and have a compassionate, hard-working team ready to listen to your story.
Quick Questions
- What kinds of sexual abuse cases does Claggett & Sykes handle in Las Vegas?
- What is the definition of a sexual offense in Nevada?
- What steps should I take if I suffer a sexual abuse in Las Vegas?
- Who is responsible for sexual abuse in Las Vegas?
- How much is my sexual abuse case worth in Nevada?
- How much time do I have to file my sexual abuse claim?
- Do you have a Las Vegas sexual abuse lawyer near me?
Our Las Vegas sexual abuse lawyers represent victims of rape and other types of sexual misconduct. We represent parents and children when minors are sexually abused at treatment centers, schools, or at church and young adults who suffered a sexual assault while at a college or university. Our lawyers also file sexual assault claims due to inadequate security while you or someone in your family is on the property of another person or business.
We stand up for victims regardless of their gender or sexual orientation. Our Las Vegas sexual abuse lawyers file claims on behalf of individual victims as well as class action claims when many victims suffer sexual abuse by the same person, organization, or institution.
Our personal injury lawyers work with sexual abuse counselors who have the training and experience to help victims emotionally and with forensic specialists who help with preserving critical evidence.
First, please know that civil complaints are different from criminal charges. The grounds for filing a civil complaint in Nevada are much less strict than the grounds for filing a criminal charge. In a civil sexual abuse case, any type of nonconsensual sexual misconduct that violates a person’s safety, security, or well-being is enough to file a claim. In criminal cases, there are very specific grounds. You do not have to file criminal charges to file a civil complaint.
Nevada’s criminal code uses the following definitions and circumstances to define sexual offenses:
“Sexual offense” means any of the following offenses:
(a) Sexual assault pursuant to NRS 200.366.
(b) Statutory sexual seduction pursuant to NRS 200.368.
Sexual assault
The crime of sexual assault occurs if a:
- Subjects another person to sexual penetration, or forces another person to make a sexual penetration on themselves or another, or on a beast,
- Against the will of the victim or under conditions in which the perpetrator knows or should know that the victim is mentally or physically incapable of resisting or understanding the nature of the perpetrator’s conduct; or
- Commits a sexual penetration upon a child under the age of 14 years or causes a child under the age of 14 years to make a sexual penetration on themselves or another, or on a beast.
In Nevada, marriage is not a defense to a sexual assault charge if the assault was committed by force or by the threat of force.
Sexual abuse
- Sexual abuse is the term used when a child is the victim. In Nevada, courts define
- Acts upon a child constituting:
- Incest under NRS 201.180;
- Lewdness with a child under NRS 201.230;
- Sado-masochistic abuse under NRS 201.262;
- Sexual assault under NRS 200.366;
- Statutory sexual seduction under NRS 200.368;
- Open or gross lewdness under NRS 201.210; and
- Mutilation of the genitalia of a female child, aiding, abetting, encouraging, or participating in the mutilation of the genitalia of a female child, or removal of a female child from this State for the purpose of mutilating the genitalia of the child under NRS 200.5083.
Sexual seduction
Statutory sexual seduction occurs when a person 18 years of age or older engages in “sexual intercourse, anal intercourse or sexual penetration” with a victim under “14 or 15 years of age and who is at least 4 years younger than the perpetrator.”
Sexual harassment
Nevada, according to the Nevada Bar Association, defines sexual harassment as “a form of discrimination that violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. It occurs when someone is treated differently because of his or her gender.” According to the Nevada Bar Association, sexual harassment becomes a crime when it involves any of the following:
- Stalking
- Assault
- Sexual assault
- Coercion
- Statutory rape
- Statutory sexual seduction
- Stalking
- Extortion
- Indecent exposure
- Lewdness with a child
- Rape
- Sexual acts in public
- Open or gross lewdness
A few other related sexual misconduct terms that we can explain include domestic violence and sexual abuse.
Sexual abuse is unconscionable.
RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) recommends the following steps:
- Remember. You don’t have to go through this crisis alone. There are people and organizations ready to help you. “What happened was not your fault. Something happened to you that you didn’t want to happen—and that’s not OK.”
- Call 911 if you are in immediate danger.
- Contact a person or organization you trust to provide a safe space. There are groups that support victims/survivors of sexual violence and human trafficking. You can call RAINN directly, and they will direct you to people in Las Vegas who can help.
- Get medical help. Most hospitals have a department/nurses who have the training and experience to help sexual assault victims with their physical needs (pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections, etc.), emotional trauma, and the preservation of evidence (including DNA evidence) of the sexual assault. You should save your clothing – don’t wash it. The medical providers should have a “rape kit” to help protect the evidence of the sexual assault.
- Report the sexual abuse. It can be hard to speak out when you’ve been violated. It can be especially difficult to speak with someone in a position of authority, like the local police. If you don’t feel comfortable filing a complaint, then consider speaking with the National Sexual Assault Hotline. Your call will be confidential and anonymous. Your local medical center should also help you understand where and how to file a report. RAINN and your local medical center should help address many of your concerns, including those about your safety, worries about the assailant, trust of law enforcement, and many other issues.
- Contact our Las Vegas sexual assault lawyers. We handle sexual assault civil claims. We’re here to answer all your questions, help you obtain the medical care you need, address your concerns, and explain your rights. At Claggett & Sykes, our lawyers have the experience and resources to help you obtain justice.
While money is usually not the first thing on your mind after being sexually abused or assaulted, our civil justice system holds those accountable through monetary awards. When an institutional or corporate party allows an employee to sexually abuse or assault someone, many times, a monetary judgment is the only way to get their attention to make sure they don’t allow that behavior in the future. Our Las Vegas sexual abuse lawyers file civil claims against the assailant and everyone who failed to protect you from the abuse – including school districts, universities, churches, religious organizations, and people/organizations in positions of authority who failed to protect you.
At Claggett & Sykes, we file civil complaints to obtain monetary damages for all your financial damages, physical injuries, and emotional trauma. The Las Vegas and Clark County prosecutors will handle any criminal charges filed against the perpetrator, but we will be by your side if you have any questions about that process.
The main types of damages in sexual abuse or sexual abuse cases include:
- Your pain and suffering. The physical, mental, and emotional impacts of abuse or assault are the biggest injuries in sexual abuse and assault cases. These damages take into account every way your life is different due to the sexual assault, including every day of physical pain and emotional suffering, your inability to have relationships with other people, your lack of trust, and other damages.
- Your medical expenses. These include the cost of emergency care, hospital stays, surgeries, rehabilitative care, psychological care and personal counseling, medications, and any other costs.
- Other damages. These include the loss of enjoyment of life’s pleasures and loss of consortium.
We work with your full range of doctors (physical and psychological) to understand the full scope and severity of your trauma.
Generally, adults can file claims any time after the assault (NRS 11.217). There are exceptions and additional considerations, so it’s important to contact an attorney as soon as possible. We can explain how the statute of limitations may apply in your or your child’s sexual abuse case.