Abuse Survivors Blog

In recent years, several compensation redress schemes have been established to compensate individuals who have suffered sexual abuse in specific institutions. Notable examples include St James and St Vedast Redress Scheme, The Manchester City Football Club Redress Scheme, Scotland’s
Redress Scheme, The Historic Abuse Redress Scheme (States of Jersey) and the Jesus Fellowship Redress Scheme.

One of Emmott Snell’s clients (hereafter referred to in this article as “Ms T”, to protect her identity) has successfully obtained an out-of-court settlement after bringing a civil compensation claim against a parish in the Diocese of Chichester for alleged sexual abuse she suffered at the hands of a priest whilst she was a choir member at her local church.

Our paralegal, Megan Hickey, has competed in national competitions as a cheerleader and is familiar with trust placed in coaches. Cheerleading is a contact sport that requires an immense amount of physical touch in order to carry parts of the routines, especially the stunting sequences. Responsible coaches are essential in this dangerous sport, not just due to its physical nature but also due to the trust involved.

The grooming process is often a pre-cursor to sexual abuse. It can take place in person or online and can last days, weeks or months. In an era where children have increasing access and exposure to digital platforms the dark reality of online grooming has emerged as a pressing concern.

Jeremy Indika contacted Emmott Snell seeking justice for the sexual abuse he had suffered at the hands of his childminder whilst he was a child. We advised him on an application to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority.

This question has been circulating in the media since the comedian Russell Brand was accused of sexual assaults against multiple women, including someone who alleges she was sexually assaulted by Brand when she was 16. 

Reporting your abuse to the police is arguably one of the most daunting steps in the process of achieving justice. This was recognised by The Secretary of State for Justice in 2004 when the Victim’s Code of Practice was issued under the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004 and has been reviewed and improved over the last 19 years.

There can be no doubt that being bitten by a dog is a traumatic and frightening experience that can cause debilitating psychological and physical injuries. Physical injuries (caused by a dog bite) are generally visible and recognisable and range from minor wounds to nerve/muscle damage and residual scarring.

One of Emmott Snell’s clients (hereafter referred to in this article as Mr M, to protect his identity) has successfully obtained an out-of-court settlement after bringing a civil compensation claim against a parish in the Oxford Diocese for sexual abuse he suffered whilst he was a chorister in a church choir. 

A report by the Independent Office for Police Conduct in 2021 found that abuse of powers for a sexual purpose was the largest form of corruption in police forces in England and Wales, and that these referrals had doubled since 2016.