Boca Raton Child Abuse Attorneys

Standing Up for Families and Children

As parents, we always want the best for our children. When we learn someone we trusted with our child has abused or neglected him or her, there is no question we must take every action we can. Filing a lawsuit against the individuals and institutions who hurt our children can hold them accountable and remove them from positions of authority over other youth.

At Grossman Roth Yaffa Cohen, we help parents like you find justice against the wrongdoers in our communities. Since establishing our firm in 1988, we’ve handled thousands of cases and recovered hundreds of millions for our clients. Our attorneys know how to investigate and prosecute serious allegations like child abuse. In a free consultation, we can explain how our experience can make your case stronger.

Call us today at (866) 629-1061 to speak with one of our attorneys, absolutely free of charge. We serve clients in the Boca Raton area.

What Does Child Abuse Look Like?

Not all abusers use the same tactics, which means abuse can be difficult to spot. When caregivers leave physical scars on your child, at least it is easy to produce evidence of what has happened. However, the mental and emotional scars can be just as harmful and harder to spot.

Child abuse may take the form of:

• Bullying
• Neglect
• Emotional abuse
• Physical abuse
• Grooming
• Sexual abuse

All these types of abuse can affect a child’s ability to form relationships and trust others. They can lead to low self-esteem and emotional and behavioral issues. Abuse may result in developmental regression and contribute to struggles at school. And, these effects can stretch into adulthood if a child does not receive the help and support he or she needs to heal.

Spotting Child Abuse

Some children tell adults they trust about abusers, but others keep it quiet out of shame. It’s common for children to believe they are at fault for abuse, especially when the person mistreating them is someone they trust and look up to. Therefore, as parents, we must be vigilant for any signs of child abuse.

Signs of physical abuse include:

• Unexplained injuries
• Frequency and timing of injuries that matches a child’s exposure to a certain adult, organization, or activity
• Fear of parents or other adults
• Aggression toward other children and animals
• Nightmares and/or insomnia
• Fear, withdrawal, depression, and/or anxiety
• Immature behavior or acting out, especially in extreme ways
• Self-destructive behavior

Signs of emotional abuse include:

• Developmental delays and/or learning disabilities
• Wetting the bed or pants
• Speech disorders
• Obesity or weight fluctuation
• Extreme compliance or defensiveness
• Depression and withdrawal
• Destructive or anti-social behaviors
• Phobias and sleep disorders

Signs of sexual abuse include:

• Difficulty sitting or walking
• Bleeding, bruising, itching, or other pain or discomfort in the genital area
• Bowel problems
• Urinary tract infections (UTIs), yeast infections, or any sexually transmitted infections or diseases (STIs or STDs)
• Torn, stained, and/or bloody undergarments
• Refusal to change clothes, especially in public places like locker rooms
• Lack of self-care
• Eating disorders, preoccupation with the body, and/or poor self-image
• Aggression, substance use, and/or recklessness
• A decline in school performance and peer relationships
• Difficulty sleeping or bed wetting, especially at an advanced age

Of course, each child will react to abuse in his or her own way. If you notice your child’s behavior changing suddenly, even if it’s not in most of the ways above, something could be wrong. It’s important to let children know you are there for them, you support them, and if someone is treating them badly it is that person’s fault, not any child’s.

Where Can Child Abuse Happen?

Unfortunately, children are vulnerable—which means any time they are around adults, there is the potential for abuse. While we want to believe those we trust to care for our children are kind and responsible, child abuse may happen at:

• Schools or educational programs
• Daycare centers
• Churches or religious centers
• Sports teams and clubs
• After-school and youth programs
• Recreational facilities
• Medical clinics, including inpatient settings or long-term care homes
• Counseling facilities
• Drug rehabilitation clinics

Though most organizations are not themselves abusive, all it takes is a lapse in judgment—and a lack of supervision—for an abusive adult to gain access to children. Sadly, many of these groups and institutions put multiple children under the care of one adult. This means your child may not be the only one in harm’s way.

Who Is Liable for Child Abuse?

There is no question the person who chooses to abuse your child is responsible for their actions. However, our firm seeks to hold all involved parties liable. This may mean a church, a school, a group like the Boy Scouts of America, or any other large institution can also be named in your suit. Why? Because any organization set up to care for children must have proper protections to ensure no abusers enter its midst.

This means doing background checks on new hires and vetting volunteers. It means providing oversight and supervision so no one adult can threaten or harm children. It means setting up a reporting structure and taking every complaint seriously, even if the alleged abuser tries to discredit the child who brings it.

There are always bad actors out there, and rather than pretend otherwise, organizations must be prepared to find and remove any harmful individuals who make it into their midst. When they fall down in this important duty, they can be named in lawsuits brought by the families of abused children.

Taking Steps to Stop Child Abuse

If your child has confided in you that he or she is being abused, your first step should be to use the Florida Child Abuse Hotline to make an official report. Then, contact our team to learn about your legal options. While abusers may be prosecuted in criminal court, it is often hard to win a conviction when children are the only witnesses. Additionally, criminal charges do nothing for the victims of an abuser. By filing a civil claim (which can be done alongside a criminal claim if necessary), you can secure compensation to place your child in a new, safer environment and help them attend counseling so they can heal from the abuse.

It is everyone’s duty to stop child abuse when we see or suspect it. Anyone who hurts one child is likely to hurt others they have similar access to. By filing a suit, you may be saving other families from facing the same hardships you are. Let us help.

Grossman Roth Yaffa Cohen is dedicated to bringing child abusers to justice. Call us today at (866) 629-1061 to schedule a free consultation with our Boca Raton attorneys.