According to a recent report, officials at colleges in Massachusetts are not being informed of sexual assaults taking place on their campuses. The state legislature is considering a law that would require local police departments to work in cooperation with universities and colleges to make it easier for the victim of sexual assault to file report of the incident.
An Essex court officer was recently arraigned on multiple sexual assault charges and held on a $50,000 bail. The prosecutor claims that they have DNA evidence to prove the charges. The officer allegedly raped and beat a female inmate that was in his custody. All in all, he is charged with multiple accounts of rape, assault with intent to rape, indecent assault and battery and misleading investigators. These charges stretch from 2009 to 2014.
Many Massachusetts families are among those affected by sexual abuse, including abuse at the hands of people who are part of institutions such as schools, churches or medical organizations. If you are the victim of sexual abuse or the loved one of someone who was abused, you have likely experienced profound effects as a result of those experiences. You may want to pursue your abuser in court to ensure that they are held accountable for their actions.
When someone suffers sexual abuse, the destructive effects both physically and emotionally can last a long time. While a great deal of emphasis has been placed upon the rights of the accused over the past few decades, less consideration has been given to victims’ rights. Legislators in the Commonwealth created an Abused Person’s Notice of Rights to address this disparity.
Massachusetts residents who have been following the sexual assault allegations involving Bill Cosby may be interested to learn about a lawsuit that was recently filed against the actor. On Dec. 2, a woman who claims she was sexually assaulted by the comedian in 1974 filed a lawsuit against him in Los Angeles Superior Court.
Safety is a prime concern for most individuals and homes are considered to be the safest of all places. Schools and places of worship are also believed to be safe. However, there have been many instances where these safe havens turn out to be places of abuse. It is unfortunate, but reports of sexual abuse by family members, priests and teachers are heard nearly every day.
It is natural for parents to assume that the people to whom they entrust their children, in schools and public institutions, do not pose a threat to their young ones. The notion that children, whether in Barnstable, Massachusetts or elsewhere, could be subject to physical or sexual abuse at the hands of a teacher or mentor is horrifying. Such incidents can cause emotional trauma to both children and parents, with the latter left wondering whom to trust. Sadly, since children are more easily frightened, many cases involving sexual abuse of minors do not get reported.
In most communities, whether in Barnstable, Massachusetts or elsewhere, an attempt to violate another person sexually is seen as a shocking offense. This perception has as much to do with a personal sense of propriety and decency as with being outraged at the vulgarity of the incident. In the eyes of the law, such nonconsensual acts are crimes whose punishment can involve a significant prison sentence. Victims of sexual assault can also find sanctuary under the law, with assistance available in many forms, such as a Special Victims Unit, to help them overcome the emotional trauma of the abuse they have suffered.
Sexual assault against or sexual abuse of a person who has not given consent are considered serious crimes all across the country, including in Massachusetts. In many cases, victims may also be able to seek civil remedies in addition to any criminal proceedings.
Massachusetts residents understand that sexual abuse or assault can leave long-term and often indelible impacts on victims. Tremendous emotional trauma can affect someone’s ability to form trusting relationships and even lead to suicide in some cases. The impact is more devastating if the victim of the sexual assault is a minor.
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