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Fighting For People Who Were Sexually Assaulted In

I was pleased with Strong Advocates legal services and all my concerns were addressed in a timely manner. Throughout the process, Betsy Havens was very understanding and compassionate, and made the difficult circumstances I was dealing with a bit easier to cope with. She defended me. I am very grateful for her service and hereby recommend Ms. Havens without reservation. - Diana C.

I had Strong Advocates as my attorney for almost a year and am very pleased with the service they provided. They always kept me updated on my case file which helped me stay informed. Thanks to their work, everything turned out great with my case. – Samuel

Since the day I stepped into their office, they were really helpful and professional. They let you know with certainty if your case has a chance to be a success or not. I absolutely love their communication skills, they NEVER kept me in the dark. As soon as they have news, they relay them to you. On a scale of 1-10 they’re an 11!! – Itzel R

While working with Strong Advocates I was impressed with their thorough knowledge of the law and found that they lived up to their reputation for being aggressive and passionate advocates for their clients’ rights. – Diana G.

From Rebecca: Thank you for all your help. This really means the world to me. I'm so grateful and happy about the outcome too! Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

From Adriana: Hey Betsy! I just want to thank you...again because without you none of this would've been possible without your hard work, and dedication to myself and my case. I can't tell you enough how much I appreciate everything you've done for me and my family. You're a blessing to us and I'm forever grateful!

I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders and it's all because of you. I could never thank you enough!

Experienced Workplace Sexual Assault Lawyers That Get Results

Talk to a Sexual Assault Lawyer Now. Call (310) 736-4822

All forms of sexual assault in the workplace are unacceptable. If you are the victim of assault at the workplace, you may wonder about your legal options. By speaking up, you could protect others who are experiencing the same unlawful and reprehensible treatment.

Filing a Civil Lawsuit for Sexual Assault

Civil lawsuits can provide sexual assault victims an avenue to stand up for their rights and potentially collect monetary damages against their attacker or, if the attacker is a coworker, from their employer. Pursuing civil charges has helped many of our clients regain their power in situations in which they felt powerless.

Regardless of whether the local district attorney files criminal rape charges against the attacker, there are several reasons why a victim of sexual assault may consider filing a civil lawsuit. First, in a civil proceeding, the client is fully in charge at all times, represented by their own lawyer. They decide on whether we agree to a settlement — if that is an option — or pursue litigation. In a criminal case, the police and prosecutor make the decisions, and the victim is their witness. Second, in a civil case, a victim of sexual assault may be able to obtain monetary damages for the pain and suffering, lost wages and other losses they have acquired as a result of the assault. In the employment context, the employer may be held liable and may be subject to significant punitive damages. Third, the burden of proof is lower in civil litigation. While a criminal prosecutor must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, the victim in a civil proceeding can prevail by proving a preponderance of the evidence that a sexual assault occurred — a much easier standard to meet.

Examples of Sexual Assault

Sexual assault, broadly defined, is any nonconsensual, sexually offensive touching. Sexual assault is both a criminal and a civil offense. In a civil lawsuit in California, sexual assault may include the following:

Touching of private parts, whether under or over clothing
Forced penetration
Forced oral sex
Use of date rape drugs to engage in sexual acts
Sexual acts performed on someone who is incapacitated by alcohol or drugs or who is asleep
Sex with someone under the age of 18.

What to Do If You Have Been Sexually Assaulted

If you have been a victim of sexual assault, the first thing you should do is to make sure you are in a safe place. If you are not, immediately call the police or 911. It can be difficult to know what to do or how to feel at this time. Know that it is not your fault. You are not alone.

You can also reach out to a national hotline to get prompt assistance for you to connect with a local sexual assault service provider. One such hotline is the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800-656-HOPE (4673).

You may also consider reaching out to an experienced and empathetic attorney like Betsy Havens at Strong Advocates, who can help you understand and navigate your legal options. Strong Advocateswill fight hard to help you get the care and justice you deserve.

Meet Employment Attorney Betsy Havens

Betsy Havens, Executive Director of Strong Advocates, has worked extensively over the years to protect the rights of workers who have been treated unfairly. Her intensive litigation experience has amounted to extraordinary outcomes for her clients. Betsy has shared and advanced her deep understanding of employment law and litigation through her experience leading over 50 training programs for lawyers and community groups. Betsy received an Advocacy award from a state Bar Foundation honoring the work her office has done fighting for fair treatment.

TOP RATED BY OUR CLIENTS

TALK TO A LAWYER NOW. CALL (310) 736-4822

Office: Strong Advocates, Los Angeles Office
3415 S. Sepulveda Boulevard Ste. 570
Los Angeles, California 90034
Phone: (310) 736-4822

Disclaimer: The information on this website is for general information purposes only. Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.

Best lawyer you could ask for really dedicated to her job!

Meztli H.

1/30/2020

Strong Advocates truly takes an interest in their clients. Betsy Havens and her staff are knowledgeable and professional. Betsy made me feel heard. She is very thorough, detail oriented and determined. If you want a firm that personally cares about YOU, I recommend Strong Advocates for all your employment legal needs. Choose Betsy Havens because she is very compassionate and passionate about winning your case. She follows through and produces amazing compensation results, quickly.

Rebecca A.

8/25/2018

I HONESTLY WAS AT LOST ABOUT MY CASE OR IF I EVEN HAD A CASE. BUT COMING TO STRONG ADVOCATES WAS A GOOD THING FOR ME THEY HELPED ME OUT SO MUCH IN UNDERSTANDING THE PAPER WORK PROCESS, WHICH THEY DID EVERYTHING. THEY ARE AMAZING VERY PROFESSIONAL. I ABSOLUTELY RECOMMEND THEM.

JESSICA S.

8/24/2018

I had such a great experience working with Strong Advocates. Betsy Havens, the attorney who represented me, was so kind and compassionate while handling my case. She helped me understand all of my options and gave me advice whenever I needed it. She was very patient and explained everything in a way that was easy to understand. She went above and beyond to help me during a tough time in my life, and I am so thankful for that!

Matthew L.

6/29/2018

My experience with Betsy Havens was beyond pleasant. She is highly talented and compassionate towards others. She never gave up on me. Betsy changed my life for the better, and I would recommend her to anyone and everyone.

Adriana G.

6/22/2018

After interviewed many attorneys for my national origin discrimination case, I finally and very luckily found this law firm. Unlike cases such as traffic accident or not paying overtime, etc., national origin discrimination case is typically very difficult. Many attorneys shy away my case, though evidence solid, and from their responses I could see their incompetence. Coming from immigration lawyer background, this law firm has great enthusiasm to help new immigrant and very adequately represented me to seek for best compensation. As a professional myself, I could tell this law firm is very high quality and detailed oriented in its documentation preparation and communication with Court and Respondent party. I don't think I could have found better law firm than this one. I read some review online regarding their high fee before hired them. Yes, their fee is higher than others and that is the high quality you would receive. I would highly recommend this law firm.

Ccc L.

6/21/2018

Diana C.

3/30/2018

Betsy Havens and the team at Strong Advocates are the nicest and most professional lawyers I have ever dealt with. They truly cared about my case and put in hours above and beyond what was called for. She kept me in the loop on all the legal proceedings and took the time explain to me in clear terms what this process was going to look like. During my demur the Judge even commented at one point saying "Never before has someone come so well prepared for a demur, I can see that you care a lot about your client." Betsy Havens is the first call I make for legal advice!

frank

3/14/2017