Child Sexual Abuse in Mississippi
Physical abuse of children is not a problem that is new to us. It has its roots deep in our society. Our society itself has been a prime reason of the prevalence of child sex abuse, and it has to be the one to play an important role in stopping it. Mississippi has been witness to many cases of sexual abuse of children. These may be in the form of incest or where some person in a position of trust takes advantage of the child. This person of trust could be a store manager, Cub Scout leader, math teacher, or Little League coach.
Help is Around the Corner
The best way to stop this social evil is to speak up against it. Psychological impacts are at times so deep that they can prevent the victim (the child) from opening up about their nightmares and concerns. In such cases the people closest to them must encourage them to speak up and report such issues. With proper legal help from a competent sexual abuse attorney, the demons hiding in our society shall be exorcised.
The Grim Reality about Child Sexual Abuse Cases in Mississippi
The saddest part about sexual abuse of children is that many cases do not even see the light of the day. A part of the responsibility falls on those closest to the victim while another part is with the people who receive the news and respond to it. The procedure dealing with abuse cases should not prove to be another ordeal for the emotionally scarred victims. The monstrosity of such cases lies in the fact that the very people a child learns to trust, like the members of his family, his teachers, or men of faith prove to be the predators who feed on the innocent trust of a child. Over 58% of child abuse cases go unheard of. In 2000 Mississippi bore witness to around 900 sexual abuse cases and the details of very few ever became clear.
Mississippi Sexual Abuse and Clergy Abuse Statute of Limitations
In Mississippi there is no special statute of limitations for sexual abuse or clergy abuse of a child. The statute that is followed for these cases is the 3 year personal injury statute of limitations. In actions for which no other period of limitation is prescribed and which involve latent injury or disease, the cause of action does not accrue until the plaintiff has discovered, or by reasonable diligence should have discovered, the injury.
Also, in Mississippi the statute of limitations is tolled until the victim reaches the age of majority which is 18.
Mississippi does not adhere to the Discovery rule and does not toll the limitations period in alleged sexual abuse cases because there is no latent injury; acts of abuse alleged were physical acts of which a person would be aware of when they occurred.
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.
Contact me, sexual abuse lawyer Samuel Rogatinsky at (954) 995-3805 or send an email to samr@sexabuseattorney.org