THE #METOO MOVEMENT: SEEKING JUSTICE FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT AND HARASSMENT

In 2017, the United States experienced a major cultural shift as people of all ages, income levels, and walks of life began to speak out about their experiences as victims of sexual assault and sexual harassment. The #MeToo movement opened many people’s eyes about the prevalence of this type of behavior, and as a result, people are finally being held accountable for their actions, whether they are powerful, well-known executives, celebrities, or politicians or someone who takes advantage of a person at their workplace.

The Latest Scandal

The most recent outrage to get major coverage in the news involves Larry Nassar, an athletic doctor who was accused of sexually abusing patients during his two decades of work as a professor at Michigan State University and a team doctor for the United States Olympic women’s gymnastics teams. After pleading guilty to 10 counts of criminal sexual conduct, he was sentenced to between 40 and 175 years in prison.

The details of this case are horrifying, and during Nassar’s trial, 160 victims provided testimony about the abuse they suffered. What is especially disturbing is that even though multiple people reported abuse, their claims were ignored or were not fully investigated, and Nassar was allowed to continue hurting additional victims for many years.

Pursuing Civil Damages

Sadly, the circumstances of the Nassar case are not unique. Sexual assault and sexual harassment occur at educational institutions and businesses across the country with alarming regularity, and all too often, the people in charge turn a blind eye to this sort of behavior. Whether this is because they do not want to deal with legal issues or because penalizing or firing perpetrators would hurt a company’s bottom line, this failure to act is inexcusable.

While pursuing criminal charges against someone who has committed sexual abuse is one avenue to hold people responsible for their actions, the civil justice system also allows victims to address the wrongs that they have suffered. By pursuing a civil lawsuit, victims can not only recover compensation from the people who have directly harmed them, but they can also ensure that the accomplices and people who allowed the crimes to occur are held responsible.

Contact a Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer

If you have been the victim of sexual abuse, assault, or harassment, the compassionate, dedicated attorneys of Pullano & Siporin will help you seek justice for the crimes that have been committed against you. A civil lawsuit will not only allow you to hold people and organizations accountable for the harm you have suffered, but it will help prevent other people from being victimized. Contact our Cook County sexual assault liability attorneys at 312-551-1100 to schedule a free consultation.

Sources:

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-gymnastics-usa-nassar-lawsuits-analys/victim-testimony-raises-settlement-pressure-in-nassar-suit-idUSKBN1FE31S

https://www.cnn.com/2018/01/26/us/larry-nassar-investigation-fallout-march/index.html

https://www.forbes.com/sites/vanessamcgrady/2017/10/23/metoo/

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