Whether you were sexually abused or groomed while attending a school, there may be a need to seek legal help, immediate help, support or know how to report what happened.

Each situation will call for a different resource. You may want to speak with a lawyer about your lawsuit, an agency about possible discrimination or reach out to an organization that supports victims of sexual abuse.

Below you will find a law firm and three organizations that can help.

In This Guide

• The Differences Between Each Resource
• Dolman Law Group
• United States Department of Justice Educational Opportunities Section
• RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline
• Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline
• What to Do Next
• Take Away

What Are the Differences Between These Resources?

These are all different from each other. Reporting to one resource does not necessarily replace other available reporting or legal options.

1. Dolman Law Group: Know If You Have a School Sexual Abuse Lawsuit

Dolman Law Group helps students and former students that have been sexually abused or groomed at school. They have a national civil practice that can assist with claims involving public schools, private schools and boarding schools.

If you are a student, parent or former student who wants to hold someone accountable in civil court, you can speak to a school sexual abuse attorney at Dolman Law Group to see if your facts allow you to bring a claim against someone.

They can look into how the school played a role in what happened to you. There may be more than one person or entity that can be held liable for what occurred to you.

Here are a few things they can assist you with:

• Identify who may have wronged you. This can include an individual’s actions or if school officials knew or should have known about the situation.
• What types of evidence may help prove your case.
• What laws may apply to your situation and how long you have to file a claim.
• What you can expect when filing a school sexual abuse lawsuit.

According to the firm, their team has two former sex crimes prosecutors and two former federal prosecutors on staff. The firm describes its staff as trauma-informed and says it aims to conduct discussions at the survivor’s pace. You can read more about their attorneys on their website and learn about their experience with prosecuting sexual assault and child abuse cases.

Maybe you attended boarding school and are speaking out about what happened to you now. You may need to know if you can still file a claim, what evidence you have and if the school can be held liable for what occurred.

They offer free consultations and receive legal fees if they secure compensation through a settlement or favorable court verdict. So, you do not have to hire them and file a lawsuit right away.

If you want to speak to a firm about holding someone accountable for school sexual abuse, Dolman Law Group is your best bet.

2. United States Department of Justice Educational Opportunities Section: Report Discrimination in Your Education Opportunity

The United States Department of Justice Educational Opportunities Section can help with many issues that pertain to education laws. They have cases that include sex discrimination and schools that receive federal funding.

You may want to let them know what your school did or didn’t do about the sexual misconduct that happened to you.

They can look into if your school broke any laws and if the federal government should become involved in the situation.

Keep in mind, this is a government agency that enforces laws. It is different from hiring a private firm to represent you and help you get compensated for your injuries.

You can use this resource if you believe your school discriminated against you based on federal laws. You can also hire a lawyer to see if you can recover damages from what occurred to you.

3. RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline: Talk to Someone About What Happened to You

If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault or abuse, you can reach out to the RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline. They have support workers that can help you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can speak to them over the phone, text them or chat online.

They can help you decide what you want to do next after being sexually assaulted or abused.

Here are a few ways they can assist you:

• Provide support from trained professionals that understand what you are going through.
• Give you resources in your area that can help you heal from your experience.
• Inform you about medical, legal and other resources that are available to you.

You can use this resource before you decide if you want to speak to a lawyer about your case.

Know that they will not help you file a lawsuit. Also, keep in mind that there are limits to confidentiality when dealing with the RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline. RAINN says it must report when identifying information and location are shared and the person is under 18 or a vulnerable adult, as required by applicable law.

4. Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline: Get Help for Children Being Abused

Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline can help if you are worried about a child being abused. You can go to their website and speak to a counselor or learn how to report child abuse in your state.

If you are a parent that believes your child is in danger at school, you can use this resource to discuss what steps you should take next.

Some ways the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline can assist you:

• They can listen to your concerns and provide support.
• Help you find where to report child abuse in your state.
• Find state-specific child protection information and support resources.

This resource is not meant to be used in an emergency. If your child is in immediate danger, call 911 or your local authorities. You can also know that Childhelp may share identifying information in certain safety situations, including when a child is being harmed, or as otherwise required by law

What Should You Do Next?

Ask yourself what you need help with right now. Do you need to make sure someone is safe, speak to someone, report something or file a lawsuit? You may need to do more than one of these things.

• If someone is in immediate danger, call 911 or the proper child protective agency.
• If you need to speak to someone, you can reach out to a resource that will provide you with support and help you find resources in your area. Be aware of how much you can disclose and what information they can share with others.
• If you think your school discriminated against you, figure out what agency you can file a complaint with. Some schools are covered under Title IX, so you may want to research what your school is required to follow.
• If you want to file a lawsuit, speak to a lawyer about who you can sue, what evidence you may have and how long you have to file your claim.

You may want to obtain your school’s records and information that can help your attorney build a case for you. You do not have to figure everything out on your own before reaching out to a firm.

Just because you filed a report does not mean you cannot file a lawsuit as well. Make sure you know how long you have to file your claim if you are a former student.

Take Away

There are many resources you can reach out to if you or someone you know has experienced school sexual abuse. Each resource can help you in different ways.

If you are looking to file a school sexual abuse lawsuit, Dolman Law Group is your best option to start with.

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