Lawsuit Information Center
Unfortunately, sexual abuse of minors by sports coaches has become a common occurrence. Victims of sexual abuse by a coach can file civil lawsuits against both the coach and the sports league or responsible organization. On this page, we will look at the basics of a sports coach sex abuse lawsuit.
Our national sex abuse lawyers are accepting sports coach sexual abuse lawsuits across the country. Contact us today at 800-553-8082 if you have been a victim.
Coach Sexual Abuse
Individuals who serve as coaches in youth sports end up developing very close relationships with the children they are mentoring. Sports coaches are also trusted adults who a given access to children.
For the most part, people who coach youth sports are dedicated parents who enrich the lives of the kids on their teams. The sad reality, however, is that some youth sports coaches are sexual predators who use their position as a coach to groom, exploit, and sexually abuse children under their supervision.
Sexual abuse or assault is defined as any form of non-consensual sexual contact or touching. Sexual touching can be anything from groping genitals to forcible rape. Children lack the legal capacity to consent to sexual contact with adults, so any form of sexual touching between an adult coach and child is without consent.
How and Where Coach Sexual Abuse Occurs
The nature of youth sports and coaching naturally generates opportunities for sexual predators to get alone time with target victims. It also gives the perpetrator time to gain trust and single out victims who are more vulnerable to abuse.
Once the victim is targeted, the coach will typically begin “grooming” them. Then the coach will try to get time with the target alone in various settings. A coach seeking alone time with an individual player for strange or abnormal reasons should be a major red flag.
How Often Does Coach Sex Abuse Occur
Sadly, sexual abuse by coaches and sexual abuse in youth sports more generally occurs a lot more frequently than most people would think. A recent study by a non-profit agency that supports youth sports programs found that around 2% of youth sports participants have reported being the victim or target of some type of sexual abuse or grooming, and 20% report experiencing sexual harassment.
Two percent may sound like a low number, but when you consider that 35 million children participate in youth sports in the U.S., it looks much different. Recently, high-profile cases have highlighted the problem of coach sexual abuse in youth sports.
Signs of Coach Sexual Abuse
Indicators of possible abuse in sports include, but are not limited to, missing practices, illness, loss of interest, withdrawal, and performance significantly below the athlete’s abilities. Other signs may include:
– Increasing isolation
– Fear of being alone
– Aggression and/or impulsiveness
– Substance abuse
– Depression and PTSD
– Personality disorders, anxiety disorders, and even psychosis
While other factors may explain some signs of abuse, it is important to trust your instincts if you believe you or someone you know may have been sexually abused. Addressing sexual abuse can be painful, but the sooner action is taken, the better.
Victims of Sexual Abuse in Youth Sports Can File Lawsuits
Anyone who has been the victim of sexual abuse in youth sports, either by a coach or someone else involved in the sports program, can file a civil sex abuse lawsuit and get financial compensation. Victims can bring a civil lawsuit regardless of whether the coach or perpetrator was ever criminally charged, or even if the victim never told anyone about what happened.
A civil lawsuit for sexual abuse can be filed not just against the coach or the individual abuser. Victims can file lawsuits against the sports league, association, or agency for negligently failing to protect them from the sexual abuse. Any third party organization that had authority and control over the sport can potentially be named as a defendant.
Organizations or associations that operate or control youth sports leagues have a legal duty to take reasonable measures to ensure the safety of the children participating in their league or organization. This includes protecting youth participants from sexual abuse by coaches.
Two of the most common ways that sports organizations negligently fail to protect children from abuse are failing to properly screen coaches, and failing to investigate and take action in response to complaints.
For example, let’s say Jeff volunteers to coach youth soccer. 2 years earlier Jeff had been charged with criminal sexual assault, but the soccer league doesn’t do any sort of background check before letting Jeff coach. If Jeff sexually abuses any of the children on his team, the soccer league could be liable for negligence in failing to properly screen him.
Coach Sex Abuse Verdicts and Settlements
Below are summaries of recent verdicts in cases involving child sexual abuse by coaches (or others) in youth sports.
$4,100,000 Settlement (Maryland 2024): The University of Maryland Baltimore County agreed to a $4.1 settlement with the U.S. Justice Department which accused the university of covering up sexual abuse of players by a former swim and diving coach. The settlement funds will be used to compensate individual victims, who could qualify for up to $180,000 each.
$3,500,000 Settlement (Oregon 2024): A high school teacher and sports coach at a school district in Oregon allegedly sexual abused female students who he coached on his sports teams. The lawsuit alleged that the school district had received numerous complaints and was aware of many incidents of inappropriate conduct, and even suspended the coach at one point. Despite all of these red flags, however, the coach was never fired.
$7,500,000 Settlement (Washington 2022): In this case, a female soccer player on a private soccer club was lured into a hotel room in Oregon by her coach. The coach then violently raped her and left her in the hallway. A lawsuit was filed against the soccer club alleging that is was negligent in failing to investigate allegations of sexual misconduct which would have led to the coach being fired before the rape happened. The lawsuit also accused the club of failing to properly screen coaches before hiring them.
$52,000,000 Settlement (California 2022): The Los Angeles Unified School District agreed to a $52 million settlement of a lawsuit that alleged that a high school wrestling coach sexually abused student athletes and the district did nothing to stop it. The settlement will compensation a group of 15 former victims of the coach, who was convicted and sentenced to 71 years in prison. The lawsuit accused the school district of failing to investigate complaints of abuse.
$1,816,000 Verdict (California 2021): Two female plaintiffs were sexually exploited by their club volleyball coach (who was also a coach at their schools). Plaintiffs alleged that the club volleyball teams and school districts were negligent because they should have known of the coach’s improper behavior with girls over the course of several years. The coach befriended the girls, got them addicted to crystal meth, and then sexually exploited them and engaged in unlawful sex for months. The girls were 15 years old at the time. Plaintiffs alleged there were many ‘red flags‘ and warning signs of the coach’s bad behavior.
$6,000,000 Settlement (Washington 2021): The United States Bowling Congress settled a case which alleged that a prominent bowling coach sexually abused youth bowlers for years. The coach was eventually charged and convicted of child sex crimes. During his two decades of sexual abuse, the coach served as a board member on the defendant organization.
Contact Us About Youth Sports Sex Abuse
If you have been the victim of sexual abuse by a coach or someone else in youth sports, contact our national sex abuse lawyers today to see if you have a case. Call us at 800-553-8082 or contact us online.