Few firms in the nation understand the painful, complicated nature of sexual abuse which occurs on college campuses quite like Arias Sanguinetti Wang & Team. The firm has helped hundreds of women in their pursuit of justice and has obtained more than $1.1 billion on behalf of survivors who suffered traumatic experiences while studying at major universities.
College campus sexual abuse can include:
- Rape, sexual assault, date rape
- Sexual harassment
- Sexual grooming by administration and staff
- OBGYN sexual misconduct and assault
- Title IX violations
- And much more
Our firm is uniquely qualified to represent people who have suffered sexual assault in a college or university setting. In recent years, our personal injury lawyers have been at the forefront of representing women whose lives were turned upside down due to the horrific behavior of predators in positions of authority.
In 2021, Arias Sanguinetti made national news in obtaining a historic $852 million settlement against USC on behalf of hundreds of women who were sexually abused by disgraced OBGYN George Tyndall. Arias Sanguinetti’s Managing Partner Mike Arias was co-liaison counsel for the plaintiffs and led the charge in obtaining the largest known settlement in a sexual abuse case in U.S. history as well as the largest known personal injury settlement against a university. Arias Sanguinetti attorneys were also part of the legal team that obtained a $243.6 million settlement on behalf of hundreds of survivors of disgraced UCLA gynecologist James Heaps.
Reality of Sexual Misconduct on College Campuses
There are dangerous realities on every campus in America:
- Sexual assault and misconduct remain alarmingly common crimes on college campuses
- Women, trans and gender-nonconforming students face a higher risk of sexual violence
In addition, survivors of sexual assault frequently develop mental health conditions such as PTSD.
Women in undergraduate programs face a 25.9% rate of nonconsensual sexual contact by physical force or inability to consent, while transgender, genderqueer and nonbinary students face a 22.8% rate. This means that roughly one out of every four of these individuals will face a predator who attempts to commit sexual violence in any number of ways.
Sexual violence includes, but is not limited to:
- Sexual assault which is a crime in which one or more offenders subject a victim to unwanted or offensive sexual contact. This is often an umbrella term that encompasses sexual abuse, sexual assault, unwanted touching, and rape. Different states have different definitions of sexual assault, so it is important to have an experienced sex abuse lawyer in your corner to help you navigate any civil legal matters.
- Date rape is another serious crime occurring on college campuses. 33% of rapes are committed by a current or former partner, and universities fail at protecting people whose partners prey on them at on-campus parties, in dorms, or in other areas of the university.
- Grooming or sexual harassment committed by authority figures is another serious concern for which student populations are at-risk. As in the recent cases at USC and UCLA where university doctors were sexually abusing students, sex abuse can be perpetrated by otherwise trustworthy individuals who employ seemingly innocent means to gain power over their intended victims. Medical professionals, staff, professors, coaches, and instructors have all been accused of sexual assault in university settings over the last decade.
In addition, while women make up the largest demographic of survivors of sexual assault on college campuses, many men have been victimized as well. At the University of Michigan, a physician for the team’s famous football team and other athletic programs was accused by more than 1,000 students (overwhelmingly male) of sexual assault. Robert Anderson’s crimes spanned several decades, and while he died in 2008, the pain he caused will be felt for decades to come.
There are numerous avenues available for survivors to fight back. Title IX grants specific powers for a university to exercise in order to perform investigations, and grants women and other vulnerable populations protections under the law. Unfortunately, when many firms bring lawsuits on behalf of the survivors of sexual abuse, it’s often found that university staff fails to properly protect students.
For student populations particularly vulnerable to sexual assault and harassment, having a trusted ally in the fight for justice is important. At our firm, the people we represent are more than clients, we empathize with the life-altering aspects resulting from this type of crime.
The Los Angeles sexual assault attorneys at Arias Sanguinetti are fierce advocates for clients and provide a compassionate environment for all those who have suffered from various forms of sexual abuse and misconduct. The firm’s reputation in litigating past similar cases has helped countless individuals obtain considerable settlement results, but our sex abuse attorneys are always willing and able to take a case all the way to trial when necessary.
If you or someone you know has been the victim of sexual misconduct in a college, university, or other school settings, contact the Los Angeles sex abuse attorneys at
Call or text 310-844-9696 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
