How to Come Forward About Child Sexual Abuse as an Adult

Are you an adult survivor of child sexual abuse? Are you looking to come forward about what you experienced in your past?

No matter your age, reporting the abuse you suffered is never easy. Sometimes, though, it’s the step you feel you must take in order to get closure and perhaps even protect others from going through the same thing at the hands of your perpetrator.

But how do you go about reporting your abuse to the law? No matter what the individual circumstances of your situation, we’re here to help. Keep reading this article to learn more about speaking out about your childhood abuse. Also, you can contact sexual offence solicitors that help to take legal action in your favor.

Decide What You Would Like to Do in Response to Your Child Sexual Abuse

When it comes to reporting child sexual abuse, it’s important to know what you would like to accomplish, as this will determine the courses of action you will take.

You should also educate yourself about the statutory rape laws. As per Michigan statutory rape law, a person should be 18 or above in order to engage in consensual sex with an adult. Adults found engaged in sexual acivities with someone below the may facw rape charges.

If you want to start healing from the trauma associated with your abuse, you may want to seek out a counselor or other professional who can help you navigate your journey. Counselors and psychiatrists operate with the strictest confidentiality.

As such, you may rest assured the details of your story won’t be shared unless your counselor becomes called upon to testify in court or the details you share reveal either active harm to yourself or someone else.

Many people also pursue prosecution against their perpetrators. In this case, the statute of limitations may come into play. As unfortunate as it is, some states have a time limit within which a childhood sexual assault survivor may file a civil or criminal case.

While finding out your statute of limitations has expired may be disappointing, familiarizing yourself with the timeframe helps you decide on your best course of action. If you’re in doubt about the statute of limitations requirements, speak to an attorney.

Hiring a Lawyer

If you can go down the road of prosecution and are willing to do so, you should first hire a lawyer. To do this, research the attorneys in your area who specialize in litigating against child abusers. You may do this by typing “child abuse attorney near me” into a search engine and clicking on the options that come up.

Read reviews from past clients, and then schedule a consultation (usually, these are free) with any lawyers you believe would be a good fit for your case. If you agree to work together, your lawyer will help you through the legal process. They’ll collect evidence for you, advise you on what to say and what not to say, and build as strong a case as they can.

Take a look here if you need a sexual abuse lawyer.

Reporting Potential Abuse

Does your perpetrator currently have access to children? Have you noticed some of the children they are around demonstrating the signs of child abuse?

If so, raise the alarm by contacting the child’s parents, family members, school administrators, or even Child Protective Services (CPS). You may also call the police and report your concerns if you have evidence abuse is going on.

Do You Want More Advice?

Are you wanting to report your child sexual abuse?

Talking about your childhood abuse might seem scary and overwhelming. Yet, if you want to help yourself heal or to get justice, you might find speaking about it worthwhile.

Do you want more life advice? If so, check out the rest of our articles today!