Bay Area Sexual Abuse

Manly, Stewart & Finaldi is nationally recognized for the legal services that we provide to sexual abuse survivors in California and beyond. Our founder and managing partner, John C. Manly, has more than 25 years of experience successfully representing clients. If you or a loved one has suffered sexual abuse or violence anywhere in the Bay Area, don’t hesitate to contact us for a confidential case evaluation. Our attorneys are here to help you pursue justice and move on with your life.

Why Choose Us

  • Our lawyers are passionate about protecting their clients’ best interests. We will stand with you every step of the way and keep your identity anonymous, if desired.
  • We have obtained over $2 billion in settlements and judgment awards for former clients. Many of these are record-breaking results for sexual abuse and assault cases.
  • Our lawyers have years of experience going up against many different defendants, including large and powerful institutions, to achieve justice on behalf of survivors.

What Is the Definition of Sexual Abuse?

Sexual assault, as defined in the California Penal Code, is the touching of a victim’s intimate parts while the victim is unlawfully restrained, and if the action is for the purpose of sexual arousal or gratification. In general, the phrase sexual abuse is used to describe an ongoing pattern of sexual assault rather than an isolated incident. Sexual abuse can refer to any unwanted or nonconsensual sexual interactions with a victim, including touching, fondling, groping, penetration, sodomy and rape. It can also refer to verbal or visual sexual abuse, such as explicit text messages or child pornography.

Who Can Be Held Responsible for Bay Area Sexual Abuse?

There is a difference between a criminal sexual abuse case and a civil one. A criminal case aims to convict a defendant of the crime of sexual abuse and impose penalties such as jail time, fines and registry on the National Sex Offender List. A civil case, on the other hand, aims to hold one or more parties legally accountable for the losses or damages suffered by the victim.

The party that is responsible, or liable, for sexual abuse or assault is the person or entity that negligently failed to protect the victim. This could be a variety of parties, depending on the situation:

  • An individual perpetrator
  • A school or Bay Area school district
  • A church or religious institution
  • The Archdiocese of San Francisco
  • A physician or health care center
  • Sports organizations
  • The Boys and Girls Club of San Francisco
  • Uber or Lyft
  • Foster care systems
  • Nursing homes in the Bay Area
  • Massage spas and parlors
  • Workplaces and employers

To hold one or more defendants liable for your sexual abuse case, you or your attorney must prove that they breached or violated a duty of care that was owed to you and that this contributed to your damages. For example, you may have a case against a school district in the Bay Area if its administrators knew about a teacher molesting a student but failed to fire the teacher or report the abuse to the authorities. The best way to find out if you have grounds for a civil lawsuit is by contacting an attorney.

Request a Free Consultation With a Sexual Abuse Attorney in the Bay Area Today

If you have suffered sexual abuse at work, at school, at church, by a doctor or in other scenarios in the Bay Area, we are prepared to stand up and fight for you. Manly, Stewart & Finaldi will work relentlessly to seek justice on your behalf and secure the financial compensation that you deserve. When results matter, you need award-winning sexual abuse attorneys in the Bay Area. Contact us today to find out how we can help you. Call (800) 700-8450 or send us a message online to receive a prompt callback.