Child Sexual Abuse in Maryland
Maryland has its own share of secret sins. The terminology refers to child sexual abuse cases. In the past most of these cases would go unreported because the victims, in this case, children, found it very difficult to voice their thoughts and opinions. They were fearful of what the results of telling on someone older than them would have. They could face humiliation from their peers and even being ostracized or separated from the life they know and the people they do like. Most children find it difficult to come to terms with child sexual abuse. It is horrendous that someone would put a child through an ordeal such as this.
An End Game
Maryland has a strict set of laws in pace to deal with pedophiles. While the numbers of cases that are dealt with are high, this number could even be even higher if all the cases that fell under this category were even reported. For reasons described above, many children choose to keep this painful truth inside them, they are just so ashamed about what has happened or is happening to them. Child sexual abuse is no secret and is definitely no sin on the part of the child. They have been wronged and often by people whom they trust and respect, if not love. The guilty person could be a soccer coach, summer camp counselor, janitor, nurse, or church leader. The good news is that as the number of prosecutions moves higher for child molesters, victims who have been hiding for long begin to report their cases because their confidence in the system increases. An end to child sexual abuse needs to be sought and strict legal action against pedophiles is the only way to go about this.
Playing More than Music
Most child sexual abuse cases don’t get reported because the perpetrator is someone who is in a position of trust, like a teacher or counselor and so on. A Mt. Hebron band director and teacher Robert Douglas Johnston pleaded guilty and was indicted on the charges of child sexual abuse. The 61 year old teacher had been working at Mt. Hebron High School since 1969. He was charged with child sexual abuse against a then 15 year old student. Investigators found evidence that stated that Johnston had been sexually abusing the child within school premises from more than 2 years. As per the court documents, Johnston was convicted on various counts of sexual abuse of a minor, third and fourth degree sex offense, as well as obscene telephone misuse.
Maryland Sexual Abuse and Clergy Abuse Statute of Limitations
Maryland is a state that has seen its fair share of sexual abuse both in catholic sexual abuse cases and Rabbi sexual abuse cases in some closed religious communities. There is a delayed statute of limitation for cases based on child sexual abuse.
If you were a minor when you were sexually abused, you have 7 years after your 18 birthday to file a claim.
On the other hand the delayed statute of limitation for most other personal injury cases is 3 years after turning 18. Most other claims based on injury caused by sexual acts on a minor that do not constitute sexual abuse fall under the general statute of limitation, which is 3 years after turning 18. So depending on the type of sexual abuse you endured, you can file either by 21 years of age or 25 years of age.
While the Maryland Court of Special Appeals has declined to extend the common law discovery rule to child sexual abuse and clergy abuse actions, those decisions predate the expansion of the statute of limitation for such actions in 2003 and generally relied, at least in part, on the fact that the Legislature had created no statute of limitation exception for child sexual abuse actions.
If you were sexually abused by a priest, rabbi, coach, psychologist or any other person who sexually abused you, please don’t feel ashamed. We want to help you.
The Help You Need
If you or someone you know has been a victim of childhood sexual abuse or teacher sex abuse, the first thing to do is approach a sexual abuse lawyer or a music teacher sexual abuse lawyer. Rather than calling anybody or responding to the first ad you see, it is highly recommended that you speak to attorney and sexual abuse advocate Samuel Rogatinsky. Samuel Rogatinsky will listen to your circumstances and he will respect your privacy. You can reach him on his personal cell phone number at 954.995.3805 and he will respond to you very quickly. If you have been sexually abused, Sam can help you but you must contact him now.
Contact me, sexual abuse lawyer Samuel Rogatinsky at (954) 995-3805 or send an email to samr@sexabuseattorney.org