April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. As we raise awareness about this violent crime and work to reduce the number of assaults that happen, it’s important to discuss the legal options available to survivors of assault.
Survivors of sexual assault have two main avenues legally:
- Criminal charges
- Civil claims
When reporting the crime to police, survivors may decide to press charges. The police may pursue criminal charges against the perpetrator, who may need to face a trial and even jail time.