In cases of child sexual abuse, some prosecutors discourage parents or others from placing a child in therapy until after the trial. The fear is that therapy will create memory and suggestibility issues which may be used by defense counsel to attack the child's credibility. Therapists confronting this issue can make the following points.
The purpose of this guide is to help a survivor or guardian of a child survivor understand the advantages and disadvantages of suing the perpetrator or other responsible parties in civil court. It is not legal advice and should not be substituted for the advice of an attorney. Consulting with an attorney can help a survivor determine what laws apply to their situation and what claims they may have against the perpetrator or other parties.
This guide was last updated in 2004, so…
In this training you will learn about the immigration system as it pertains to children. You'll learn about the current practices regarding detaining children at the Southern border and how these children end up living all over Washington state. You'll get a brief overview of the immigration court system in the United States.
Then, we will discuss various visas and other ways that child survivors of violence can obtain lawful status in the United States. Most importantly, we will…
This webinar discusses a trauma-informed, whole-person approach to legal advocacy. It covers civil legal options available to sexual assault survivors in Washington State including protection orders, housing rights, small claims, immigration, Title IX, and employment rights.
WCSAP was contacted by a survivor who has been working with attorneys, advocates, and academics to raise awareness and bring an end to a traumatic practice referred to as ‘court-ordered rape,’ or invasive gynecological exams that survivors of sexual assault are ordered to endure in the course of proceedings against their perpetrators.
WCSAP prioritized gathering information about sexual assault legal advocacy practices because we have heard from advocates that sexual assault survivors face many challenges within the legal system. This means that legal advocacy is also challenging and that advocates need support for their work in this system.
At WCSAP, we receive a lot of questions from advocates about the "ins and outs" of mandated reporting. Although Washington's law about mandated reporting is pretty straightforward, it can feel much more complex in practice. Here are some quick answers (that do not constitute legal advice) to some of the recent questions we have received on this topic:
A multidisciplinary response to sexual assault cases is beneficial to our work and our communities. It cultivates communication and collaboration among service providers and system professionals; increases the effectiveness of criminal justice, social service, medical, and community interventions; and ultimately, it improves the response to and experiences of survivors.
This approach is most often supported through the development of teams comprised of the primary stakeholders who…
