For survivors of childhood abuse in California
If you were sexually abused before age 18 in a California institution that should have protected you, you may have legal options, even if it happened many years ago. A participating attorney can review your situation for free and in confidence.
It was not your fault. You are not alone, and it is not too late to ask.
Institutional sexual abuse means sexual abuse of a child under 18 by someone connected to an organization that was responsible for that child, such as a teacher, coach, clergy member, counselor, volunteer, or staff member.
Many of these cases share a pattern: the institution knew or should have known about the risk, and failed to take reasonable steps to prevent the abuse, report it, or remove the person responsible.
The abuse happened when you were a child or teenager, whatever your age is now.
It involved staff, a volunteer, or someone in authority at an organization responsible for children.
The institution knew, or should have known, about the risk and failed to protect you.
California has expanded the deadlines for childhood sexual abuse claims.
You were sexually abused as a child in a California institutional setting, and the abuse caused you harm. Every situation is different, and only a licensed attorney can evaluate a claim.
For years, short deadlines kept many survivors of childhood sexual abuse out of court. California has changed that.
Deadlines depend on the facts of each case, such as when the abuse happened, your age, and who is responsible. An attorney must evaluate your situation, so it is a good idea to ask soon.
Organizations that supervise or care for children have a legal duty to protect them. An institution may be held responsible if it failed to:
Properly screen and background-check employees and volunteers who work with children.
Take complaints and warning signs seriously, and act on them.
Report suspected abuse to the authorities as California law requires.
Supervise staff, keep known risks away from children, and follow protective policies.
California law requires many adults who work with children to report suspected child abuse, including sexual abuse, to the authorities. They include:
Pursuing justice after childhood abuse can be emotionally demanding. These challenges are common, and none of them mean you do not have options.
Many survivors do not disclose abuse until adulthood. Fear, manipulation by the abuser, shame, or simply being too young to understand what happened are common reasons. Delayed disclosure is normal.
Schools, churches, and other organizations sometimes dispute what they knew or try to avoid responsibility. An attorney can look into what the institution knew and when.
Many survivors worry about being identified or about reliving painful memories. You decide how much to share and whether to move forward, and attorneys can explain the ways your privacy may be protected.
Getting a free review takes a few minutes, and you decide what happens next.
Our assistant asks a few short questions about what happened. There are no wrong answers, and you can stop at any time.
If you choose to continue, add your contact details so someone can follow up privately.
A participating attorney or their intake team may contact you to talk through your options. There is no obligation.
The assistant opens right on this page. You can stop at any time, and you decide whether to submit your contact details.
What you share is private. Asking for a review is free, and you are under no obligation to move forward.
Your information goes to a participating attorney who handles childhood sexual abuse cases and understands how hard it can be to come forward.
There is no charge to submit your information or have your situation reviewed. These cases are often handled on a contingency-fee basis, meaning no attorney fee unless there is a recovery. Fee terms and case costs vary, so ask the attorney and read the agreement before you sign.
Stand Against Abuse is operated by TFT Legal Service, an attorney advertising and referral service. We do not give legal advice. When you ask for a review, your information is shared with a participating attorney or law firm, who decides whether to offer representation.
Phillips Law Group (700 Flower St, Suite 1000, Los Angeles, CA 90017) is identified as responsible for this advertisement, and a California-licensed attorney is associated for California cases. Cases may be referred to, or jointly handled with, other attorneys.
Submitting information does not create an attorney-client relationship. No particular outcome can be promised, and every case is different.
Straight answers about how this works. If you are unsure about anything, ask the attorney before you sign.
No. Stand Against Abuse is an attorney advertising and referral service operated by TFT Legal Service. We are not a law firm and do not give legal advice. If you ask for a review, your information is shared with a participating attorney or law firm, who decides whether to offer representation.
This site is for people who were sexually abused as children (under 18) in an institutional setting in California, such as a school, church, youth program, camp, foster home, or juvenile facility. You can be an adult now. If the survivor is still a minor, a parent or legal guardian can reach out on their behalf.
It may, but California has expanded the time survivors have. AB 218 (2019) generally allows claims until age 40, or within 5 years of discovering the harm caused by the abuse, whichever is later. AB 452 (2023) removed the civil filing deadline for childhood sexual assault that happens on or after January 1, 2024. Deadlines depend on the facts, so an attorney needs to review your situation.
No, not to ask for a review. Many survivors never reported the abuse to police. A formal diagnosis or treatment records may help a claim, but they are not always required. A participating attorney can talk with you about what may matter in your situation.
No. We do not contact the school, church, or organization. An institution would learn about a claim only through the legal process, and only if you decide with an attorney to move forward.
No. Submitting your information and having your situation reviewed is free. Childhood sexual abuse cases are often handled on a contingency-fee basis, which means no attorney fee unless there is a recovery. Case costs and fee terms vary, so ask the attorney and read any agreement before signing.
If you choose to share your contact details, someone from a participating law firm or its intake team may contact you by phone, text, or email to learn more. You decide whether to continue, and no particular outcome can be promised.
Your information is used to respond to your request and is shared only with participating attorneys and the service providers who help us run this website, as described in our Privacy Policy. Submitting information does not create an attorney-client relationship.
Need support right now? If you are in immediate danger, call 911. For free, confidential support 24/7, call the RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 or visit rainn.org. If you are having thoughts of suicide, call or text 988.
Answer a few confidential questions. It is free, it takes about two minutes, and you are under no obligation.
Start my free, confidential review