Sexual Abuse Compensation
By Stephen Hudson. Last Updated 25th August 2022. The sexual abuse compensation claims process exists to provide victims with some financial support for the wrongs committed. It also serves as a means of standing up to perpetrators and securing justice.
In this guide, we’ll discuss the eligibility criteria for sexual abuse claims, such as the time limits involved and whether you can claim for historic abuse.
We’ll also examine how to report abuse, the role of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) and examine some compensation examples.
We also have lots of links to some of our other guides, which you may find useful.
If you have any questions or if you’d like to enquire about making a claim for sexual abuse compensation, you can:
- Call us on the number at the top of this page
- Chat with the Legal Expert team now using the live chat box
- Or write to us about your claim online
Sexual Abuse Compensation Claims – Am I Eligible?
To make a claim for sexual abuse compensation, it’s necessary to meet a number of different criteria. These include:
- You must have suffered an injury as a result of a violent crime.
- That you reported the crime to the police. The crime reference number they provide is necessary for a sexual abuse claim.
- You must begin the process within the criminal injury claim time limit. This is 2 years from the date of the crime, or 2 years from the date you reported the crime to the police in cases such as historic abuse (which may have a justifiable delay in reporting the crime).
- You must co-operate with the investigations of the police once the crime has been reported.
- The incident must have happened in England, Scotland or Wales.
- The injuries must be serious enough in the eyes of the CICA.
If you’re at all unsure if you meet these requirements or if you’d like us to check your eligibility over the phone, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
How To Report Sexual Abuse
If you’ve been the victim of sexual abuse, you can report what happened and get justice, help and support. Below, we’ve included some of the best ways to report sexual abuse, including that of a historical nature:
- For a recent incident of sexual abuse, you can speak to the police by calling 999. The police advise keeping hold of and not washing all clothes that you were wearing at the time as this may prove vital in identifying the perpetrator.
- You can report historic abuse to the police by calling 101.
- You can also visit your local police station.
- If you’d rather not speak to the police, you can contact charities like the NSPCC.
- You could also speak to Victim Support (for women) or for men here.
- Rape Crisis is also an option for women
What Is The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA)?
The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (otherwise known as the CICA) is a government-funded body that exists to compensate the victims of violent crime.
Unlike other types of claims involving insurance companies, a CICA claim is not adversarial in nature. Working with a criminal injury solicitor, you’ll put together an application that sets out what happened, the injuries sustained and how severe they are.
Sexual Abuse Compensation Claims – What Evidence Do I Need?
To support an application, evidence is required. This could include:
- Police or crime reference number – given when you report the crime to the police
- Medical records – if you attended an accident or emergency room or visited your GP, the entries in your medical records will help prove your injuries and the cause
- Medical evidence – as part of your claim, your lawyer will obtain specialist evidence to support your case and determine the extent of your suffering.
Our sexual abuse solicitors can help with all aspects of CICA claims, so please don’t hesitate to get in touch for free advice and claims support.
Sexual Abuse Compensation Examples
If you’re able to make a successful CICA claim, then your sexual abuse compensation will include a payment for the physical and psychological injuries you’ve suffered. The details of the potential awards they can provide are contained in their Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012 injuries tariff.
For ease of reference, we’ve included some of these compensation tariffs that are relevant to sexual abuse claims in the table below. Don’t worry if you can’t see your own injuries listed here; we could still help. You are welcome to contact us for more advice on potential payments when making a claim for sexual abuse.
| Harm | Description | Tariff |
|---|---|---|
| Sexual abuse plus extra damage | This includes other injuries, special expenses and compensation for loss of earnings. | Up to £500,000 |
| Non-consensual penile penetration of one or more vagina, anus or mouth | The injured party has suffered serious internal injuries along with a permanent disabling mental illness that is severe in nature. | £44,000 |
| This tariff applies where serious internal bodily injuries and a permanent disabling mental illness of a moderate nature has occurred. | £33,000 | |
| The claimant suffers from a permanent, disabling and severe mental illness that has been confirmed by a psychiatric prognosis. | £27,000 | |
| This tariff applies for claimants that have suffered serious internal bodily injuries. | £22,000 | |
| The injured party suffers with a mental illness that is moderate in nature, but permanently disabling. This has been confirmed by a psychiatric prognosis. | £22,000 | |
| Two or more attackers were invovled. | £13,500 | |
| One attacker was involved. | £11,000 | |
| Sexual assault | The injured party suffers with a severe mental illness that has been confirmed by psychiatric prognosis. | £27,000 |
| The claimant has suffered serious internal bodily injuries. | £22,000 |
Learn More About Criminal Injury Compensation Claims
You may also be interested in some of our other guides on criminal injury compensation claims:
- FAQs on sexual abuse claims
- Sexual abuse during lockdown – can you claim?
- Sexual abuse compensation calculator
- How to find physical and sexual abuse solicitors
- A guide to sexual abuse claims
- How to claim against a paedophile
- How to claim if abused in foster care
- Learn how to claim compensation for historical abuse. This guide explains all you need to know about historic sexual abuse claims
- Sexual abuse claims in Scotland
We also have some other guides on sexual abuse compensation claims that you may find useful:
- I was sexually abused by my father, can I claim?
- Sexual abuse by husband – can you claim?
- Sexual abuse by a grandfather – how to make a claim
- Sexual abuse by an ex-partner – how to make a claim
- How to claim if sexually abused by a family member
- How to claim if abused by a stepfather
- Learn how to claim if abused by a teacher
- Sexual abuse claims against social services
- How to claim for sexual abuse in a school
- Learn how to make a PTSD claim here for post-traumatic stress disorder
