Los Angeles Sexual Abuse Resources and Options for Survivors

Posted on September 1, 2022     |     Sexual Abuse

Stopping sexual abuse in your community and ultimately putting an end to this crime for good cannot be achieved without a willingness to seek help from others when necessary. As a survivor of sexual abuse in Los Angeles, a number of resources and support options are available to you during this difficult time. They can enable you to cope with your trauma, hold your abuser accountable, secure justice and financial compensation, and shed light on this heinous crime in your community. 

Use this list of resources and options to start your journey toward healing. We also have a separate list of resources available specifically for child sexual abuse survivors in Los Angeles.

Getting Medical Care for Sexual Abuse or Assault in LA

There are a total of 15 rape crisis centers in Los Angeles County. These are medical facilities with teams of health care professionals that have special training in caring for sexual abuse and assault survivors. They include: 

  • UCLA Health Rape Treatment Center. Receive specialized emergency medical care, counseling, information about your rights and forensic services 24 hours a day, seven days a week, free of charge. Visit the 24-hour emergency center at 1250 16th St. Santa Monica, California 90404 or call (424) 259-7208 for more information.
  • East Los Angeles Women’s Center. A trusted resource for female sexual abuse survivors with trained and certified counselors and volunteers. They have two locations in Los Angeles, including a wellness center at the Historic General Hospital. Call their crisis hotline at (800) 585-6231 24/7.
  • Center for the Pacific Asian Family, Inc. An organization committed to ending sexual violence against Asian Pacific Islanders. They offer emergency shelters, transitional housing and other forms of support. Get 24/7 help in Chinese, Korean, Tagalog, Thai, Vietnamese and more at (800) 339-3940.

You can also find a list of centers that offer sexual assault forensic exams in Los Angeles. If it has been less than 120 hours (five days) from the sexual assault, a forensic exam or “rape kit” can search for DNA evidence on your person to use against the perpetrator if you plan on pressing charges.

Reporting Sexual Abuse in Los Angeles

Reporting sexual abuse can be difficult, but it is necessary if you wish to hold your abuser responsible and seek justice. Contact the police in LA so that you can tell your story to authorities who can help:

  • 911. Dial 911 to contact the police in an emergency, such as if you are in urgent need of assistance or wish to report a sexual assault crime that just occurred.
  • (877) ASK-LAPD (275-5273). This is the Los Angeles Police Department’s nonemergency number for police response if you wish to report a sex crime and press charges but it is not an emergency. They also have a rape hotline at (626) 793-3385.

If you were sexually abused by a professional, such as a doctor, clergyman, teacher, scout leader or YMCA instructor, report the abuse to an authority within the appropriate institution, as well. This can document the incident and remove the individual from his or her position of power to potentially prevent further sex crimes.

Coping With Sexual Abuse and Getting Help

Do not neglect your mental, psychological and emotional health as a sexual abuse survivor. Use these resources to obtain the confidential help and assistance you need:

  • National Sexual Assault Hotline (RAINN.org). Call (800) 656-4673 for 24/7 confidential help and support from a trained sexual abuse professional or chat online at online.rainn.org.
  • 1 in 6. A source of support specifically for male victims of sexual abuse and assault. They offer a 24/7 helpline chat, weekly online support group and a variety of other services.
  • ValorUS. A national organization committed to ending sexual abuse and violence. It offers education and training, survivor wellness resources, and a searchable map of rape crisis centers in the U.S.
  • Peace Over Violence. A hotline that caters to survivors of domestic violence. It offers emergency services in LA, as well as interventions, 24-hour support and domestic violence prevention training. Call the Rape and Battering Hotline at (213) 626-3393.
  • List of sexual abuse therapists in Los Angeles. Seeing a licensed therapist or psychiatrist can help you learn healthy coping mechanisms as a sexual abuse survivor in LA. There is also a list of sexual abuse support groups in LA available.

While speaking about your trauma to friends and family can certainly help, reaching out to a professional can be the most effective way to come to terms with what happened to you and finally move forward.

Filing a Civil Lawsuit Against the Abuser or Institution

Criminal charges against a sexual abuser can make the offender’s identity known to the larger community. It can provide justice in the form of a criminal conviction and sentence that includes jail or prison time, fines, victim restitution, and entering the National Sex Offender Registry. This is not where your legal options end, however. You also have the right to file a civil lawsuit against the perpetrator and/or an institution in Los Angeles as a sexual abuse survivor.

Bringing a sexual abuse civil lawsuit can give you additional justice and closure by holding the offender civilly liable for the wrongful acts committed against you. It can result in financial compensation being paid to you for your related losses, such as medical bills, therapy costs, medications, lost wages, pain and suffering, and lost quality of life. If the perpetrator does not have the money to pay a settlement or judgment award, you could qualify for payment through the California Survivor Compensation Board instead.

In addition to holding the abuser liable, you may also have grounds to bring a civil lawsuit against an institution that failed to protect you in Los Angeles. If a diocese, school district, company, employer, Boys and Girls Club, or another establishment was negligent in preventing sexual abuse – such as by covering up complaints against a perpetrator – it can be held responsible for its part in the sex crimes committed. 

Contacting a Sexual Abuse Lawyer in Los Angeles for More Information

Help is available in many forms to survivors of sexual assault in Los Angeles, California. Contact a Los Angeles sexual abuse attorney near you for additional resources and more information about your legal options as a survivor. You can call Manly, Stewart & Finaldi for a free and confidential case review with a highly experienced attorney anytime. Call (855) 943-0864 to reach our West Coast office. We also have a secure messaging system where you can contact us online.