Sexual Violence, Title IX, and Victims’ Rights

Maryland’s Child Victims Act Explained: FAQs and What This Means for Survivors

By: Christine Dunn and Lilly Grace Blakely | April 3, 2025 | Sexual Violence, Title IX, and Victims’ Rights

Childhood sexual abuse survivors are often unable to promptly report their abuse for a host of reasons, including fear, shame, and a lack of vocabulary to describe the abuse. As a result, the average age that child sexual assault survivors disclose their abuse is age 52.  The understandable delayed reporting of this abuse is at[…]

Childhood sexual abuse survivors are often unable to promptly report their abuse for a host of reasons, including fear, shame, and a lack of vocabulary to describe the abuse. As a result, the average age that child sexual assault survivors disclose their abuse is age 52. The understandable delayed reporting of this abuse is at […]

Challenging the Feres Doctrine: Sexual Assault in the Military

By: Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight, LLP | February 25, 2025 | Sexual Violence, Title IX, and Victims’ Rights

Members of the military make incredible sacrifices every day in the service of our country. They place their lives on the line in combat, endure lengthy deployments away from their families, and engage in physically grueling labor. Service members expect those hardships when they enlist. What they don’t expect is that sexual assault is a[…]

Members of the military make incredible sacrifices every day in the service of our country. They place their lives on the line in combat, endure lengthy deployments away from their families, and engage in physically grueling labor. Service members expect those hardships when they enlist. What they don’t expect is that sexual assault is a […]

Renege, Conceal, Evade: Takeaways from Report on USCGA Cover-up of Operation Fouled Anchor

Last month, the Congressional Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations released an Interim Report titled “Coast Guard’s Efforts to Conceal the Operation Fouled Anchor Investigation from Congress and the Public.” Operation Fouled Anchor (“OFA”) was an investigation launched in 2014 examining the prevalence of sexual assault and harassment at the Coast Guard Academy (“CGA” or “the Academy”)[…]

Last month, the Congressional Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations released an Interim Report titled “Coast Guard’s Efforts to Conceal the Operation Fouled Anchor Investigation from Congress and the Public.” Operation Fouled Anchor (“OFA”) was an investigation launched in 2014 examining the prevalence of sexual assault and harassment at the Coast Guard Academy (“CGA” or “the Academy”) […]

Understanding NYC’s Gender-Motivated Violence Act and the Expiring Window for Survivors to Bring Civil Claims

New York City has a law that allows survivors of sexual violence to file civil lawsuits against the individuals and institutions that harmed them. It’s called the Victims of Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Act, commonly referred to as the Gender-Motivated Violence Act (GMVA). The GMVA was amended in 2022 to provide more protections to survivors of[…]

New York City has a law that allows survivors of sexual violence to file civil lawsuits against the individuals and institutions that harmed them. It’s called the Victims of Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Act, commonly referred to as the Gender-Motivated Violence Act (GMVA). The GMVA was amended in 2022 to provide more protections to survivors of […]

Military Sexual Violence and Institutional Betrayal

As Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight's recent filings against the United States Coast Guard Academy illustrate, sexual violence survivors are harmed not only by the perpetrators but also by the institutions that fail to protect them. Often, the institutional betrayal can be just as damaging as the sexual assault itself. Institutional betrayal occurs when an institution[…]

As Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight’s recent filings against the United States Coast Guard Academy illustrate, sexual violence survivors are harmed not only by the perpetrators but also by the institutions that fail to protect them. Often, the institutional betrayal can be just as damaging as the sexual assault itself. Institutional betrayal occurs when an institution […]

Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight Files Three New Federal Tort Claims Act Administrative Complaints Against the Army and DoD on Behalf of Victims of Army Doctor Who Sexually Abused Patients

By: Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight, LLP | September 27, 2024 | Press Releases, Sexual Violence, Title IX, and Victims’ Rights

TACOMA, Wash., Sept. 25, 2024 (GlobeNewswire) -- Attorneys at Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight today filed three new Federal Tort Claims Act (“FTCA”) administrative complaints against the United States Department of the Army and the Department of Defense (collectively “the Army”) on behalf of three John Does (John Does 16-18), all of whom are former patients[…]

TACOMA, Wash., Sept. 25, 2024 (GlobeNewswire) — Attorneys at today filed three new Federal Tort Claims Act (“FTCA”) administrative complaints against the United States Department of the Army and the Department of Defense (collectively “the Army”) on behalf of three John Does (John Does 16-18), all of whom are former patients of Dr. Michael Stockin […]

Sexual Assaults Cover-up at U.S. Coast Guard: An Overview

In the summer of 2023, CNN published an explosive exposé of the Coast Guard’s orchestrated cover-up of “Operation Fouled Anchor” – a report detailing decades of rampant sexual assaults at the Academy and the failure to adequately investigate the assaults. As detailed by CNN, Coast Guard leaders deliberately withheld the findings of Operation Fouled Anchor[…]

In the summer of 2023, CNN published an explosive exposé of the Coast Guard’s orchestrated cover-up of “Operation Fouled Anchor” – a report detailing decades of rampant sexual assaults at the Academy and the failure to adequately investigate the assaults. As detailed by CNN, Coast Guard leaders deliberately withheld the findings of Operation Fouled Anchor […]

Civil Lawsuits In Sexual Abuse Cases: A Powerful Tool For Survivors And Societal Change

By: Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight, LLP | January 31, 2024 | Sexual Violence, Title IX, and Victims’ Rights

Sexual abuse leaves an indelible mark on the lives of survivors. Its repercussions can span a lifetime. Sexual abuse often occurs in institutional settings. Civil lawsuits are a powerful avenue for holding those institutions accountable. Through a civil claim, a survivor can not only seek compensation for the pain and suffering they have endured, they[…]

Sexual abuse leaves an indelible mark on the lives of survivors. Its repercussions can span a lifetime. Sexual abuse often occurs in institutional settings. Civil lawsuits are a powerful avenue for holding those institutions accountable. Through a civil claim, a survivor can not only seek compensation for the pain and suffering they have endured, they […]

Recent Appellate Court Decision Helps Survivors Hold Schools Accountable for Off-Campus Sexual Misconduct

By: Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight, LLP | October 16, 2023 | Sexual Violence, Title IX, and Victims’ Rights

Sexual misconduct is pervasive at educational institutions across the country. Under certain federal and state laws – including Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 – schools can be held liable when they fail to take complaints of gender-based violence, discrimination, retaliation, and sexual misconduct seriously. Survivors of sexual misconduct at schools may have[…]

Sexual misconduct is pervasive at educational institutions across the country. Under certain federal and state laws – including Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 – schools can be held liable when they fail to take complaints of gender-based violence, discrimination, retaliation, and sexual misconduct seriously. Survivors of sexual misconduct at schools may have […]

Giving Survivors a Voice in Sex Abuse Case Against Military Doctor

By: Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight, LLP | October 9, 2023 | Sexual Violence, Title IX, and Victims’ Rights

The duty to protect and serve does not end at the administrative level of the U.S. military. Military personnel make significant and brave sacrifices to defend our country, and deserve to be equally protected. Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight is bringing legal action against the Army for failing to protect two men from being sexually abused[…]

The duty to protect and serve does not end at the administrative level of the U.S. military. Military personnel make significant and brave sacrifices to defend our country, and deserve to be equally protected. is bringing legal action against the Army for failing to protect two men from being sexually abused by an Army doctor, […]

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