One of the most serious times when our Family Solicitors in Portsmouth are brought in is when there is a claim put forward for abuse being suffered by one party from another. Whether that’s mental, physical or sexual, our attorneys at Andrew and Andrew Solicitors are legally obliged to help you or any minor you may be representing get the justice that you or they deserve.

Here are a few brief facts about this kind of case.

Making a claim

As a general rule of thumb, anyone can make a claim as long as there is enough proof behind it that abuse has indeed been committed. There tends to be two types of claims, current and historic. The first applies if it’s an ongoing situation with no sign of stopping, whilst the latter is for abuse that’s been suffered many years ago, usually in childhood.

Although, in the latter’s cases there’s usually a time limit. In England, it’s three years, whilst in Scotland the 2017 Child Abuse Law removed it. This meant survivors of historic abuse could come forward seeking justice for themselves.

Brief outline of the process

Another thing survivors often struggle with is the application process as many tend to be unsure of what’s required or where to begin. Normally you would get in contact with your local law practice by either telephone or email, then from there, the process will be discussed with you.

Generally, you will be brought in for a meeting first to describe what has happened to you, then you will be given advice about your case and what you can do to prepare. Then a further meeting will be held to discuss what will happen next and how you can sort out funding for your legal proceedings. Also, if it’s required your lawyers can also request a medical examiner look at you or a formal police report can be filed to help strengthen your case with some evidence of the abuse.

In the event things are taken to court, depending on the situation you may not have to appear to see your abuser. This can be a huge relief to victims as seeing their abuser could potentially bring back traumatic memories.

Steps your attorney can take

Even before the legal proceedings, your Family Solicitors in Portsmouth can still help you out. First, they can issue a written warning to the abuser to request they stop and threaten legal proceedings as a form of protection for the victim.

If that doesn’t work, the next step is to introduce a restraining order to limit the contact between victim and abuser. This can be in the form of keeping a set distance away and limiting communication through email, text or phone call.

If you or someone you know is a victim of abuse, please do not hesitate to get in touch with the relevant authorities and seek legal representation. The sooner you can do this the better it will be.