Sexual Abuse Compensation – Abuse and Assault Claims

By Jo Jeffries. Last Updated 13th February 2023. In this guide, we’ll discuss sexual abuse compensation claims and sexual assault compensation in greater detail. If you’re asking: “how much could I claim if sexually abused by a family member”, then this sexual abuse claim and child abuse compensation guide could help. We reveal how to claim compensation for sexual abuse in detail. Furthermore, we include the routes you could take to claim rape compensation for both mental and physical rape injuries.

Here, we aim to cover sexual abuse claims and how we can potentially help victims claim compensation after being sexually assaulted.

This guide will also discuss sexual abuse compensation calculators to give you an idea of how much sexual assault compensation may be offered if you make a claim which is successful. We’ll look closely at the factors that determine how much compensation for sexually abused victims in the UK is possible.

Anyone can be a victim of this crime, including men and women, small children, young people, teenagers and adults. It’s important to remember that whatever types of sexual abuse you’ve experienced, you can get the emotional support you need from a variety of sources.

Could I claim compensation after being sexually assaulted?

In addition to this, if you have experienced sexual assault, you could be eligible to claim compensation. We’re often asked the question, “how much compensation can be claimed for sexually abused victims in the UK?” and “how much could I claim if sexually abused by a family member?”. If at the end of this guide, you still have questions or would like to start a claim, you can contact our advisors.

To get in touch:

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Our guide – pursuing sexual abuse claims

A calculator used for working out compensation amounts

This guide is intended to provide you with enough information to allow you to file a claim for sexual abuse. We will explain the different ways that sexual abuse or assault can occur. This is not a crime that happens to women exclusively; men can be victims as well.

You should also be aware that sexual abuse is not only physical. It can also cause psychological damage. You will learn more as you read on.

We’ll also look at how much compensation for sexually abused victims in the UK could be paid with our sexual abuse compensation calculator.

How much could I claim if sexually abused by a family member and other questions

If you or someone that you know has been a victim of sexual assault, then you may have a lot of questions to ask. This guide attempts to answer these questions. We are frequently asked questions such as ‘can I claim compensation after being sexually assaulted?’ and ‘can I claim compensation for historical abuse?’ If domestic sexual abuse occurred, you could still have a valid claim for compensation for sexually abused victims in the UK. This includes if you have been sexually abused by a family member, such as a parent, step-parent or husband.

Could I claim compensation after being sexually assaulted?

After reading this guide, if you are still unsure whether to file for sexual assault compensation or you have any other questions, then please contact one of our representatives who can help you decide the best course of action.

Child Abuse Compensation -Child Abuse Compensation Claims Advice

There are different avenues that you could take to make a criminal injury claim for sexual abuse. Firstly, you could claim directly against the perpetrator, provided they have the funds to pay compensation and have been identified.

Secondly, you could claim against a vicariously liable third party, such as a school or your employer. For example, a school may have failed to carry out a Disclosure and Barring Service check before hiring a teacher. If the check would have revealed information that would have prevented the teacher from being hired, a claim could be made against the school if their failings led to child abuse.

Compensation could also be sought from a vicariously liable party, such as an employer. For example, they may have failed to address reports of sexual harassment from an employee leading to them experiencing sexual assault. In these cases, a rape compensation claim could be made.

If neither of these options are viable, you could claim through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA). The CICA provides those who have been injured in a crime of violence in England, Scotland or Wales with a way to seek compensation. 

For more information, please get in touch on the number above. An advisor can discuss your eligibility for seeking criminal injury compensation. They can also advise which avenue you could take to claim.

Claiming for historical rape compensation

Should you have suffered sexual abuse or assault as a child, and you have now turned 18, we could help you. While the CICA don’t generally compensate those who apply for compensation after the two-year limitation period has passed, historical rape injuries could be different. It could be argued that a victim was not able to tp process what happened to them until years after they sustained the rape injuries they are claiming for. Please call us if this is something you would like to discuss. 

What constitutes sexual abuse?

If someone makes a sexual advance towards you that is unwanted, this is known as sexual abuse. If that person applies force, then it becomes sexual assault.

There are different categories of sexual assault, these are:

Contact abuse. This involves physical contact between the abuser and the victim. This can include the unwanted sexual touch of somebody’s body, even if they are fully dressed.

  • Penetration or rape, which is the act of putting a sex organ or other object in another person’s vagina, anus or mouth.
  • Using force to make another person take part in a sex act.
  • Forcing someone to undress.

Non-contact abuse. This does not require any physical touching to take place but does include the exploitation or grooming of a person. Non-contact abuse can include

  • Insisting that an individual listens to or observes sexual acts.
  • Insisting that an individual views pornography.

Sexual assault and sexual abuse do not discriminate between ages or genders; they can happen to anybody. The majority of victims are females and minors, but men who have been victims of abuse are equally entitled to claim compensation. That sexual abuse compensation can be payable for both psychological and physical injury. Read on to learn more about filing sexual abuse claims.

Psychological injuries following sexual abuse – can I claim?

It is very hard to provide evidence of any psychological injury that you have received if you are claiming compensation for sexually abused victims in the UK. If you decide to file a compensation claim for psychological injuries, we suggest that you talk to a member of our team who can advise you of the best steps to take.

If you are claiming via the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA), it may interest you to know that you could claim compensation even if your attacker isn’t caught. They don’t need to have been arrested or imprisoned. You would, however, need to be able to evidence that you’ve suffered harm caused by sexual abuse to claim compensation.

Claiming Sexual Abuse Compensation Through The CICA

If you want to make a sexual abuse compensation claim, there are different avenues you could take to do so.

Firstly, you could claim directly against the perpetrator, provided they have the means to pay compensation and have been identified.

Secondly, you could claim against a vicariously liable third party. This could include a school or your employer. For example, a school may have failed to carry out a Disclosure and Barring Service check on a new teacher. If carrying out the check would have highlighted an issue with a teacher that would have prevented them from being hired and a failure to do so resulted in someone experiencing harm, they may be vicariously liable.

However, should such routes to compensation for sexual abuse not be open to you, you could claim via the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA). This is a government funded agency in the UK that could compensate victims of violent crime for their injuries. The Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012 sets out the eligibility requirements that must be met in order to seek compensation via the CICA. 

Should you wish to claim compensation for sexual abuse via the CICA, we could help. To find out more about such claims, please read on. Alternatively, call our team using the number above.

Reporting Assault – What Is The Time Limit?

When you wish to claim compensation for sexual abuse, it’s important to be aware of how long you have to do so. When claiming through the CICA, you generally have 2 years from the date of the assault to make a claim. However, for various reasons, this may not always be possible. For example, your mental health may have been seriously impacted by the abuse. This could make it challenging to step forward and make a claim. In these circumstances, you may still be able to claim as the abuse would then classify as a historical case.

If you are seeking sexual assault compensation from the assailant directly, this time limit is generally 3 years, as it is for other personal injury claims. Again, there are certain scenarios where this time limit can be extended, such as in cases involving those with reduced mental capacity. Time limits can also be suspended in a claim for sexual abuse that involves children.

If you’d like more information on time limits for sexual assault claims, get in touch today.

Claiming historical sexual abuse compensation

If you are seeking compensation after being sexually assaulted as a child, you could still be eligible to claim sexual abuse compensation as an adult. We have  advisors who will carefully whether you could have a valid claim for sexual abuse compensation. 

Statistics and facts on sexual abuse

In this section of the guide, we will look at key statistics above rape and sexual violence in England and Wales.

  • According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) 1 in 5 women and 1 in 20 men have been sexually assaulted or raped as an adult in England and Wales for the year ending March 2020
  • Only 1 in 100 reported rapes result in a charge and convictions may be lower according to the Home Office.
  • Also according to ONS, 5 million women in England and Wales have been sexually assaulted or raped since the age of 16

We can assist you in getting sexual abuse compensation.

Making sexual abuse claims – What is involved?

Girl sitting with her hands on her knees in front of lockers

Claims for compensation for sexually abused victims in the UK can only be made if evidence is provided. There are two ways to claim sexual assault compensation; through the CICA or a direct claim against the perpetrator or other liable party, such as a school.

When making sexual abuse claims through the CICA, claimants will have to supply a police reference number. Additionally, you might be expected to attend a medical assessment. The CICA can arrange this for you.

If the perpetrator can be identified and has the means to compensate you, you may be able to claim compensation for sexual abuse via a personal injury claim. Compensation for sexually abused victims in the UK can also be sought from a liable party. For instance, if the abuse occurred at school, sexual abuse claims can be made against the school. However, you will need to provide evidence that a breach of the school’s duty of care caused the sexual abuse.

Call our advisors to learn more about what evidence could be submitted to prove sexual abuse claims.

Sexual Abuse Claims – What Can You Be Compensated For?

When making a claim via the CICA, you could receive compensation for your injuries. This is calculated using a tariff from the Scheme 2012. We have discussed this further in the section below. 

In addition, you could be awarded a payment for:

  • Loss of earnings: If your injury was so serious that you were unable to undertake any form of paid work or had a very limited capacity to do so for more than 28 full weeks, you could receive a payment for lost earnings. This will be paid from the 29th week onwards.
  • Special expenses: If your injury was so serious that you lost earnings, earning capacity or were incapacitated to a similar extent for more than 28 weeks, you could receive a payment for special expenses. This can include damage to your property or equipment.

When claiming directly against the perpetrator or vicariously liable third party, the compensation you could receive will differ.

Call our advisors to find out more about what compensation for sexual abuse you could claim. One of our advisors could give you free legal advice over the phone.

Compensation For Sexually Abused Victims In The UK

Compensation for sexual abuse would depend on a number of factors. These could include the severity of harm sustained. If you are claiming compensation through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012, you might be interested in the table below. It contains the scheme’s tariff figures. We’ve provided examples from the tariff of injuries below. 

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Victim Details Type of Offence Severity Compensation Notes
Any age Sexual Assault Severe £3,300 Oral-genital or non-penile penetrative act(s).
Any age Sexual Assault Moderate Mental Illness £22,000 Mental illness is permanently disabling and confirmed by psychiatric prognosis.
Any age Sexual Assault Mental Illness – Severe £27,000 Confirmed prognosis by a psychologist that the severe mental illness will cause disabilities for the rest of the claimant’s life.
Any age Non-Consensual Penile Penetration or One or More of Mouth, Vagina or Anus – £22,000 Internal injuries of a serious nature.
Any age Non-Consensual Penile Penetration or One or More of Mouth, Vagina or Anus Pattern of Incidents £16,500 Repeated incidents for up to 3 years.
A child or an adult with reduced mental capacity Sexual Assault Pattern of Incidents £8,200 A pattern of non-penile penetrative or oral-genital acts for more than 3 years.
A child or an adult with reduced mental capacity Sexual Assault – £22,000 One or more oral-genital act(s) or non-penile penetrative act(s) will result in serious internal injuries.
A child or an adult with reduced mental capacity Sexual Assault Severe Mental Illness £27,000 A psychologist will confirm that the assault resulted in severe mental harm that is disabling.
A child or an adult with reduced mental capacity Non-Consensual Penile Penetration or One or More of Anus, Mouth or Vagina – £11,000 One incident.
A child or an adult with reduced mental capacity Non-Consensual Penile Penetration or One or More of Anus, Mouth or Vagina Repeated Incidents £16,500 Incidents that have occurred repeatedly for up to 3 years.

Please remember that these figures relate to claims made through the CICA only. If you are making a claim for sexual abuse or assault directly against the perpetrator or against a liable party that failed to protect you when they had a duty to, the compensation you could receive may differ. Please call us to find out more about this. We could assess your sexual assault compensation case to see whether you could claim via the CICA.

Who else could be liable to pay compensation for sexual abuse?

Claims could be made against the perpetrator of the abuse or assault. In other cases, if there was a failure of a duty of care to protect a person, leading to injures from sexual abuse or assault, the party that breached its duty could be held liable.

 No win No fee – can I really start a claim for compensation for sexually abused victims in the UK for free?

Yes, you can. We have a No Win No Fee policy known as a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA) which means that we usually won’t charge a solicitor’s fee until after we win your sexual abuse compensation claim.

By funding a sexual assault compensation claim through a No Win No Fee arrangement, you agree that if your claim is successful, a legally capped fee can be taken from your award. This is known as a success fee. However, sexual abuse claims that do not succeed will not have a success fee taken from them.

As a victim of sexual abuse, you could be eligible to receive compensation. Furthermore, here at Accident Claims, we can offer our clients many benefits, including a no-obligation, free consultation, and of course, our No Win No Fee promise is available to you.

Ready to begin sexual abuse claims – what to do to claim compensation after being sexually assaulted?

Thanks for reading this article that aimed to answer the question, “How much compensation for sexually abused victims in the UK?” Now, if you are ready to begin your claim, call us today on 0800 073 8801. Or, chat with us online via live web chat or our online contact form. If your claim for compensation for sexually abused victims in the UK seems eligible and you wish to proceed with our services, you could be put in touch with our solicitors.

How much could I claim if sexually abused by a family member

Other Guides You Could Find Useful

Finally, we hope this guide to claiming sexual abuse compensation has proven useful for you.