Los Angeles Youth Sports Sexual Abuse Lawyer

Los Angeles Attorney for Survivors of Sexual Abuse by a Coach in Youth Sports

The consequences of facing sexual abuse from a Los Angeles sports coach can surface in many forms, with challenges coming directly after the instance and years after the event has occurred. In all instances of sexual abuse, such behavior is intolerable, and perpetrators should be held accountable for their actions, even if it is years after the fact. A Los Angeles youth sports coach sexual abuse lawyer from DeMarco Law Firm can help you hold abusers accountable.

The legal team at DeMarco Law Firm is committed to bringing justice to cases of child molestation, leveraging our network to uncover information that protects child sex offenders. We employ a compassionate, survivor-centered approach, giving you a safe and nonjudgmental space to voice your concerns and tell your story. Together, we can build a legal strategy that is optimal for holding perpetrators accountable and getting you the justice you deserve.

Have You or Your Loved One Faced Child Sexual Abuse From an LA Sports Coach?

Unfortunately, the sports setting, such as team sports or individual private lessons, can be an ideal environment for sexual predators to carry out horrific acts against vulnerable children. Due to the influence and authority that sports coaches have over their athletes, they may leverage this position to commit acts of sexual abuse. Child sexual abuse in the LA sports setting can look like the following:

• Grooming. Grooming involves coaches giving children certain gifts, such as candy or notes, or showering them with a lot of personal attention and compliments. While complimenting or rewarding an athlete is not illegal or wrong, doing this in an overexaggerated manner can be a sign that the coach is working to lure the athlete to do something inappropriate.
• Requests for Alone Time. Through strategies such as grooming, sports coaches may work to get alone time with an athlete. In the case of a predator, they seek this alone time so that they can carry out acts of sexual abuse, such as inappropriate touching, forcing the athlete to perform sexual acts for the coach, or even instances of penetration.
• Requests for Media. In some cases, sports coaches may attempt to abuse child athletes outside of the sports setting and move their tactics to online platforms. By grooming the child online, giving them compliments, or making promises, they may send inappropriate messages or media of a sexually illicit nature. They may also request sexually illicit images from the child. Such crimes can include child pornography-related charges.
• Sexual Harassment. Sexual harassment can be verbal, visual, or physical, and it may occur in front of other people or in an intimate setting. For example, a sports coach may make inappropriate comments to an athlete that are of a sexual nature during practice or repeatedly touch them in an inappropriate and unnecessary manner.

If you have any suspicion that you or a loved one faced sexual abuse or conspiracy to commit sexual abuse from a sports coach as a child, it can be liberating to bring the perpetrator to justice. At DeMarco Law Firm, we are here to help you press charges and get the compensation you are entitled to. We represent adults who have survived childhood sexual abuse by coaches, referees, and assistants in organized youth sports.

A Dark History: Child Sports Coach Sexual Abuse as Far Back as the 80’s

Our research shows that dozens of pedophiles have been caught in Southern California since the early 1980’s working as Coaches and “trusted adults” to gain access to their child targets. We are currently seeking action in a case against the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) regarding a convicted child molester who coached and refereed for the national soccer organization in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s in Santa Barbara and in San Diego, California.

Who Can Be Held Accountable for a Child Sports Coach Sexual Abuse Case?

In child sports sexual abuse cases, multiple parties can be potentially held accountable for their actions. Their culpability is dependent on their responsibilities and roles in the institution or organization, in addition to their failure to stop or prevent instances of abuse. Some of the potential parties that can be held accountable include:

• Sports Coaches. The main perpetrator of the child sexual abuse can face legal action for their conduct, and they can face civil lawsuits as well as criminal charges. Ideally, the organization by whom they were employed or with whom they were affiliated should take corrective action, either by suspension, firing, or other means.
• School Administrators and Supervisors. In many cases, school administrators and other employees, as well as entire school districts, can be held responsible for not adequately overseeing the coach’s activities to ensure the safety of the students. They can also be liable for failing to take adequate and quick action after abuse allegations.
• Sports Organizations. The organization that employs the coach could be held responsible for not adequately running background checks or fully vetting the candidate before hiring them. They can also be held accountable for failing to supervise the coach or failing to adequately respond to abuse allegations. Institutional issues such as poor training can also cause a sports organization to be held accountable.
• Additional Staff or Volunteers. Other individuals who were affiliated with the organization and saw or heard about instances of child sexual abuse but failed to report it could be held accountable and face charges for inaction.

In certain cases, even government agencies can be held accountable for instances of child sexual abuse by sports coaches. This could occur if they had an institutional issue that made them fail to address the situation. An experienced child molestation lawyer from DeMarco Law Firm can evaluate the details of your case and help determine the at-fault or negligent parties. From there, they can help you pursue legal action to hold all parties accountable for their actions or inaction.

What Compensation Am I Entitled to in a Child Sports Coach Sexual Abuse Case?

In a child sports sexual abuse case in Los Angeles, victims are entitled to a wide variety of compensation, which can include compensation for economic and non-economic damages. A dedicated child sports coach sexual abuse lawyer from DeMarco Law Firm can help you recover the following in damages:

• Medical Costs. If the child was physically harmed as a result of the abuse, then the compensation package could cover all medical expenses associated with their injuries. Compensation for services to treat mental or psychological damage, such as psychiatry, counseling, or therapy, can be covered as well.
• Pain and Suffering. Child victims of sexual abuse by a coach can experience emotional pain and/or physical suffering long after the instance or series of abuse is over. Compensation could cover such non-economic damages, and an experienced lawyer from our firm can help you optimize your pain and suffering settlement.
• Lost Wages. If the child was working during the time they were abused and became unable to work due to mental or physical injury as a result of the abuse, they could recover the lost wages and benefits that they would have earned.
• Attorney Costs. A sexual abuse compensation package can cover the legal fees associated with pressing charges for child sports coach sexual abuse, including court costs and the expenses of hiring a lawyer.

In cases where the abuse was particularly egregious, the defendant may need to pay punitive damages to the plaintiff in order to punish them for their behavior and discourage such instances from happening again. A dedicated and knowledgeable attorney from DeMarco Law Firm can help you recover an optimal settlement for the abuse that you have faced, giving you the resources you need to recover and look forward to new chapters in your life.

Signs That Your Child May Be Facing Sexual Abuse From Their Sports Coach

While each case is unique when it comes to sexual abuse from a sports coach, there are general signs that may be red flags that your child is facing instances of abuse, which could be from their sports coach, including:

• Signs of Discomfort When the Coach Is Mentioned. If your child looks away, flinches, or becomes distant when you mention the sports coach, then there could be serious problems occurring between your child and their coach. An explanation for such discomfort could be that they are sexually harassing or abusing your child or other athletes.
• Sleeplessness and Decreased Performance. The trauma of abuse can disrupt a child’s sleep cycle, causing them to be constantly exhausted. You may also see a dip in their academic and athletic performance.
• Strange References of Abuse. If your child mentions instances of abuse that are strangely graphic, or if they ask you if a certain sex act is normal to carry out with a coach or teacher, then this should be a warning sign that they are in danger.

Additional signs of abuse include increased anxiety, recklessness, or avoiding going to school or practice. While such signs may not necessarily mean that your child is facing sexual abuse from their coach, it’s important to err on the side of caution. Strive to foster an open and encouraging environment for your child to share anything they might be keeping from you.

Start Working With a Los Angeles Youth Sports Coach Sexual Abuse Lawyer Today

If you or a loved one has suffered from the sexual abuse of a sports coach as a child, it is never too late to come forward and hold the right individuals and organizations accountable for their actions or inaction. All abuse survivors deserve justice.

At DeMarco Law Firm, our loyal legal team is here to provide a caring and compassionate approach in which we center your story, concerns, and needs. Our team respects your confidentiality, and together, we can build a legal plan to hold the abusers accountable and get compensation to cover the damages suffered. Don’t hesitate to contact us today to get started.