A Guide About How To Sue A Paedophile

By Edward Gorman. Last Updated 2nd March 2021. Welcome to our guide to paedophile sexual abuse claims. Child sexual abuse is a horrific crime and could have long-term consequences for the victim. Whether you are reading this guide as an adult who is considering suing a paedophile on behalf of a child that you are responsible for, or you are a victim of child sexual abuse looking for information on how to sue a paedophile who abused you, this guide provides useful insight into making such claims.

In the sections you see below, we offer insights into child sexual abuse statistics, as well as providing details of how compensation claims against paedophiles could be made. You will also see information relating to compensation payouts for victims of child sexual abuse. If you would like to talk to us about making a claim or would like us to assess your case for free, whether it is recent or historic sexual abuse you’ve experienced, our team are ready to help. You can reach us on 0333 000 0729.

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A Guide On How To Sue A Paedophile For Compensation

paedophile sexual abuse claims

Paedophile sexual abuse claims

This guide offers information to those looking to find out how to sue a paedophile for compensation. You could be an adult responsible for a child that has been abused, or a victim of child sexual abuse yourself. Sexual abuse against a child is a heinous crime and could not only leave a victim suffering physically, but also mentally. Some of the effects of child sexual abuse could be very severe and could last for the rest of the victim’s life. While suing a paedophile would not take away the experience that a sexually abused child had suffered, it could go some way towards helping them to move forward after abuse.

This guide to paedophile sexual abuse claims covers in detail how a victim of abuse could sue a paedophile for compensation, and what routes they could take if they were unable to achieve a compensation settlement from the paedophile themselves. We will also provide information on the amount of compensation that could be appropriate for sexual abuse victims. We also provide information on where to start when it comes to making a claim and how we could help you.

What Is Paedophilia And Sexual Abuse?

Before we look at how to sue a paedophile for compensation for child sexual abuse, we should first define what a paedophile is, and what sexual abuse is.

Sexual abuse against a child, according to the Crown Prosecution Service, is enticing or forcing a child into sexually motivated activities. They do not always include violence or contact. The child may or may not be aware of what is happening to them. Regardless of whether they are or not, it is still considered a crime.

If an adult is sexually attracted to a child or children, they could be considered a paedophile. If they perpetrate the sexual abuse of a child, they are acting outside of the law, and their actions could lead them to be charged with abuse.

The Differences Between Contact And Non-Contact Abuse

Sexual abuse does not always involve physical contact. Non-contact child sexual abuse could involve showing a child pornographic material, an adult exposing their genitals to a child, taking photographs of a child in sexual poses, coercing or forcing a child to hear or watch sexual acts, or watching a child undress. Contact abuse could involve touching a child’s genitalia, forcing or coercing a child into playing sexual games or touching someone’s genitals, penetrating a child with objects such as fingers, and rape.

Whatever type of child sexual abuse you have experienced, it is wrong, and it is a crime. Victims of such crimes should receive the support and compensation they deserve for the effects such heinous abuse has had on them.

Claims For Historical Sexual Abuse

If you suffered abuse in the home, at school or anywhere else, even if it was many years ago, you may worry that too much time has passed for you to make a sexual abuse claim. However, it is possible for victims of historical sexual abuse to claim compensation years after the abuse has ended.

In some case, a victim of child sexual abuse may not realise what has happened to them for some time. Some victims may be scared or too traumatised to speak about the abuse until many years after it has ended. Regardless of how much time has passed since the abuse, you could still claim compensation, and we would like to help you.

Who Could Victims Of Paedophiles Claim Against?

When looking at how to sue a paedophile for compensation, it is important to establish the most appropriate entity to claim against. The victim of a paedophile could claim against the paedophile themselves or those who, for instance, employed the abuser, such as a local authority, for example. Claiming against the employer of an abuser could be considered more common that claiming against a perpetrator, but it would have to be established whether the employer could be held liable for your injuries as a victim of child sexual abuse by their employee.

If you’d like to speak to us directly about paedophile sexual abuse claims, we’re available 24 hours a day, 7 days per week on the number at the top of this page. Or if you’d rather get in touch in another way, you can write to us about your case by clicking here. 

Claims By Victims Of Paedophiles Through The CICA

If the paedophile or their employer could not be claimed against, it may be possible for you to claim compensation through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA). This is an authority backed by the Ministry of Justice, which could pay compensation to victims of violent crime when other routes to compensation are blocked.

If you are not sure which way to go about claiming compensation for sexual abuse you suffered as a child, we could take a look at your case and advise you.

Injuries Suffered By Victims Of Paedophilia

If you have suffered harm as a victim of a paedophile, the injuries you suffer could be physical or psychological, or a combination of the two. Sexual abuse victims could suffer internal injuries such as genital bruising or lacerations, sexually transmitted infections, and even pregnancy.

The psychological effects of paedophilia could be longer-lasting and more severe than some physical injuries. Trauma could lead to:

  • Self-harming
  • Eating disorders
  • PTSD
  • Anxiety
  • Depression

What Could The Long-Term Impact Of Sexual Assault And Abuse Be?

The long-term impact of molestation could be severe in some cases, and it could impact some victims for the rest of their lives. Abuse could impact on a victim’s ability to trust others and form relationships, and it could also lead to conditions that make it impossible for them to have a normal social life. It could also impact on their ability to find or stay in work, particularly if they have severe PTSD. Suing a paedophile or making a claim through the CICA may not take the impact of child sexual abuse away, but it could help ease financial burdens caused by paedophilia. For more information on how to sue a paedophile for the long-term effects of abuse, please call our team in confidence.

Statistics – Rates Of Sexual Abuse And Assault

The Crime Survey for England and Wales has revealed that around 7.5% of those aged between 18 and 74 have experienced child sexual abuse. This includes child and adult perpetrators. Around a third of these were thought to be perpetrated by a stranger, while around 37% were by an acquaintance or a friend.

In the year ending March 2020, there were a staggering 61,837 reported crimes related to child sexual abuse in England and Wales alone, even in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

Of this overall figure, 12,569 crimes were flagged as child sexual exploitation. We can see the rates of child sexual abuse in the various regions of England and Wales in the table below:

child sexual abuse statistics graph

Child sexual abuse statistics graph

To learn more about paedophile sexual abuse claims and how we can support you with one, please get in touch with our specialist advisers on the number at the top of this page.

Suing A Paedophile Compensation Claims Calculator

If you are looking for an abuse compensation calculator or a personal injury claims calculator to tell you how much compensation you could be entitled to, you’ll notice that there is no such feature below. Instead, we have chosen to include tables for compensation amounts that could be appropriate for injuries sustained as a result of child sexual abuse.

The first table includes figures taken from the Judicial College Guidelines, a legal publication used by solicitors and the courts that gives guideline compensation amounts for specific injuries. Please note that your claim could not be precisely valued before such time as you completed a medical assessment with an independent medic, who would write a report detailing your injuries and prognosis. This would be arranged as part of the claims process. 

InjuryGuideline AmountRemarks
Psychiatric damage - severe£51,460 - £108,620Very poor prognosis, severe effects on the victim’s ability to cope with education, work and life in general, as well as effects on their relationships.
Psychiatric damage – moderately severe£17,900 - £51,460A more optimistic prognosis, but with significant effects on the victim’s ability to cope with education, work and life in general, as well as effects on their relationships.
Psychiatric damage – moderate£5,000 - £17,900A good prognosis, but with moderate effects on the victim’s ability to cope with education, work and life in general, as well as effects on their relationships.
PTSD – Severe£56,180 - £94,470With permanent effects on the victim that prevent them from functioning to the extent that they did prior to the trauma

The next table offers some insight into compensation amounts payable from the CICA for injuries sexual abuse victims may have suffered. These figures are from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme Tariff 2012.

InjuryTariff AmountRemarks
Above clothing sexual assault£1,000 Non-penetrative
Under clothing sexual assault£2,000 Non-penetrative
Repetitive, frequent sexual assaults£6,600 Lasting under a period of three years
Repetitive, frequent sexual assaults£8,200 Lasting over a period of three years
Repetitive, frequent sexual assaults£22,000 Leaving the victim with internal injury
Repetitive, frequent sexual assaults£22,000 Leaving the victim with moderate mental illness
Repetitive, frequent sexual assaults£27,000 Leaving the victim with severe mental illness
Penetrative rape£22,000 Leaving the victim with moderate mental illness
Penetrative rape£27,000 Leaving the victim with severe mental illness
Penetrative rape£33,000 Leaving the victim with moderate mental illness and internal injury
Penetrative rape£44,000 Leaving the victim with severe mental illness and internal injury

What Damages Could Be Claimed If Suing A Paedophile?

Depending on whether you’re suing a paedophile directly, or claiming compensation through the CICA, you may be able to claim for financial expenses incurred due to your injuries. These could include:

Through The CICA

Costs would have to be considered reasonable, appropriate and would not be able to be covered by the benefits office, NHS or local authority. They could include:

  • Physical aids
  • Loss of earnings (only if you have been away from work for 28 weeks or over. This is compensated at statutory sick pay rates)
  • Care costs
  • Damage to property

Against A Paedophile Themselves

  • Care costs
  • Medical expenses
  • Travel expenses
  • Loss of earnings

If you would like more information on how to sue a paedophile for financial expenses you’ve incurred due to your injuries, we’d be happy to give you further insight over the phone.

And if you’d like to learn about what else you can include within paedophile sexual abuse claims, again we can give you more free legal advice over the phone.

Steps To Take If The Victim Of A Paedophile

If you have been the victim of historical sexual abuse, whether you are considering suing a paedophile or making a claim through the CICA, you could take some actions that may help you. These could include:

  • Getting medical help – If you have injuries, whether emotional or physical, your health is paramount. Getting the right advice and treatment could not only help you recover but could also serve as a record of what has happened to you.
  • Writing down witness details – If anyone witnessed the child abuse, then they could be called on as a witness to strengthen your case. Giving their details to your personal injury solicitor could be useful.
  • Writing a statement of what has happened to you – You could help your case by writing down the dates and times of the molestation to provide a record of what happened and how it affected you.
  • Getting legal advice – If you have more questions about how to sue a paedophile, or would like to have your case assessed to see if you could claim compensation, we could offer free advice and support with finding a lawyer.

How To Report Abuse Experienced By You Or Another Person

Reporting your concerns about a child if you fear that they may be a victim of molestation, or reporting your own experience of child sexual abuse can be done in several ways. You could contact the NSPCC, who could offer advice and support, or you could contact another organisation such as Victim Support, the NHS or Rape Crisis, for example.

To claim compensation through the CICA, you would also need to have reported the abuse to the police. You could do so online, at a local police station, or via phone on 101. If you fear someone is in immediate danger, then you should call 999.

How Long Do You Have To Sue A Paedophile?

Depending on whether you are claiming against the paedophile themselves or through the CICA, the personal injury claims time limit could differ. It could also differ depending on whether you are claiming on behalf of someone else, or you are claiming as someone who was a child when they were molested but has now turned 18.

The usual limitation period for many different types of personal injury claims is 3 years from the incident date or 3 years from the date the child turns 18. However, you could claim years later for historical sexual abuse cases.

When it comes to claims through the CICA, the usual criminal injury claims time limit is 2 years from the date of the incident. However, for cases of historic abuse, the time limit could be extended, and you could still claim compensation.

If you’re concerned about whether you would be within the time limits for making a claim, please do get in touch with our team. We will be glad to help assess your case to see if you could be eligible to claim.

What Is A Litigation Friend And How Could They Help You?

If you are under the age of 18, or you are looking at this page to see if you could help a child you’re responsible for making a compensation claim against a paedophile, you might be interested to know that adults can help claim for molestation injuries suffered by children on their behalf.

A litigation friend is someone who acts on behalf of someone who would not be able to claim for themselves, such as a child, or someone who does not have the mental or physical capacity to claim. They would need no conflicting interests with the person they are acting for, and they would also need to be able to make fair competent decisions about the case.  A litigation friend does not necessarily have to be a parent. A litigation friend could be:

  • A family member
  • A friend
  • A relative
  • A solicitor
  • A professional advocate

It could be worth mentioning that if the victim turns 18 during the course of a claim, they could request that the litigation friend stops acting for them so that they can start to make decisions about their claim.

To discover more about the role of litigation friends in paedophile sexual abuse claims, our specially trained team is on hand to help.

Why Choose Legal Helpline When Suing A Paedophile?

At Legal Helpline, we not only offer free advice to those who are wondering how to sue a paedophile, but we could also help them connect with a solicitor to help them make a personal injury claim or a criminal injury claim for physical and emotional injuries caused by paedophilia. Our specially trained advisors could assess your case for you and answer any questions you might have about the claims process, explaining any legal terms to you so you know exactly where you stand in terms of the action you could take.

If we believe you could sue a paedophile for compensation, or claim compensation from the CICA for the abuse you’ve suffered, we could find an appropriate solicitor to take your case forward under a No Win No Fee agreement, which means you would not have to pay any fees until your case successfully ended with a compensation payout.

You can talk to our team in complete confidence at any time and we will be sure to treat your claim with the utmost care. We know how traumatic abuse can be and will take care to provide you with the guidance and support you’re looking for, in order for you to feel confident that we have your best interests at heart. We want every victim of abuse to be able to claim the compensation they deserve for the physical and emotional trauma they’ve experienced due to paedophilia. Why not let us help you?

No Win No Fee Claims Against A Paedophile

If you were considering making a claim against a paedophile or through the CICA with the help of a personal injury lawyer, but are concerned that this would mean you’d have to pay for their services upfront, you may be pleased to learn that this would not necessarily be the case. If you chose to claim with a No Win No Fee solicitor, you would not have to pay any legal fees until your case was successfully settled and your compensation was paid.

At the beginning of a No Win No Fee claim, you would be asked to sign a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). This is a document that would effectively promise to pay your personal injury solicitor a small success fee once your compensation had been paid out. This success fee is legally capped, so you would not have to fear that a large proportion of your compensation would be taken in legal fees. If your claim did not result in a compensation payout, then you wouldn’t have to pay this success fee, nor would you be asked to cover the costs your lawyer incurred while pursuing your claim.

No Win No Fee claims could give claimants the financial confidence to pursue a claim for compensation. To be connected with a solicitor working on this basis, please do not hesitate to contact us. We can answer any questions you may have with regards to claiming in this manner and help you begin your claim.

Talk To Legal Helpline About Suing A Paedophile

You’ve nearly finished our guide to paedophile sexual abuse claims. We hope you’ve found it useful.

If you have questions about your own case, whether you’re wondering whether you could be eligible to claim or would like to know more about how No Win No Fee claims work, we could help you. Not only could our advisors assess your eligibility to claim, but they could also connect you with a personal injury solicitor who could fight for compensation on your behalf.

However you prefer to get in touch, we’re ready to help you, so why not get in touch today to get the advice and support you’re looking for?

Support And Advice For Victims Of Paedophiles

In this final section of our guide to paedophile sexual abuse claims, we’ve included links to some other resources you may find useful.

NHS – How To Get Help After Sexual Assault – This NHS resource shows you how you can get help if you’ve been sexually assaulted or raped.

MIND Sexual Abuse Help – The mental health charity MIND offers resources for those who have been sexually abused.

Emotional Support – Here, through Supportline, you can find assistance if you’ve suffered abuse.

How To Claim Through The CICA – Here, you can read our in-depth guide about making criminal injury claims.

Sexual Abuse Claims – You can find further information about making claims for sexual abuse here.

Assault Claims – Our guide to assault claims may also be of interest.

 

Thank you for reading our guide to paedophile sexual abuse claims.