Two of Emmott Snell Solicitor’s clients (referred to in this article as Mr X and Mr Y to protect their identities) have successfully obtained substantial out of court settlements after bringing compensation claims against Hampshire County Council and Surrey County Council for sexual assaults they suffered whilst placed at children’s homes.
Sexual Abuse Referral Centres (SARCs) are a special service which provide help to victims of sexual assault and abuse.
They provide care for victims of both recent and non-recent assault, regardless of whether the victim has reported the assault to the police or not.
Editor's note: This post was originally written in 2017 and has since been refreshed for relevance and accuracy.
The age of consent for sex
In England and Wales the age of sexual consent is 16 for both men and women. The age of consent is the same regardless of the gender or sexual orientation of a person and whether the sexual activity is between people of the same or different gender.
The recent conviction of a Jehovah’s Witness elder in Wales highlights once again the endemic opportunities for sexual predators within religious institutions, and the difficulty in speaking out against institutional abuse.
Church elder, Thomas Brian Jenkins, denied 20 charges of indecent assault of a young girl in the 1970s within the context of carrying out missionary activities such as “door-to-door missions” to rural properties in the Welsh countryside.
World Mental Health Day occurs annually on 10th October and its purpose is to raise awareness of mental health issues and mobilise efforts in support of mental health.
Each year, the World Federation for Mental Health chooses a theme on which to promote ‘World Mental Health Day’.
Medical and police records play an important role in any personal injury compensation claim.
They can support a person’s case in a number of ways and therefore can be of great evidential value.
In 2017, eight care workers were charged after a police investigation into historical child abuse at a children’s home in Coventry.
These men were accused of a total of 29 offences (which included counts of child cruelty, indecent assaults and one rape of a child) against 15 children whilst working at Wisteria Lodge between 1981-1997.
Compensation settlements and awards from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (as a result of psychiatric or physical injury) will be taken into account by the Department of Work and Pensions when assessing a person’s entitlement to means tested benefits.
Having good support from loved ones when dealing with the psychological consequences of sexual abuse can be vital, but therapeutic support from a trained professional can also be invaluable.
On 24th September 2018, Emmott Snell once again took part in the annual Bedford Legal Walk, a 10km sponsored walk around Bedford town which raises money for local charities providing legal advice.
