When you scratch the surface of institutional abuse, it usually reveals a long history of power that’s gone unchecked and crimes that were hidden. But why is there a long history behind it? Why didn’t people speak up as soon as something wrong happened?
Unfortunately, in these cases, the survivors feel like they’re facing a giant that nobody can bring down. They’re just one person against an entire institution, after all. But the thing is, they’re not just one person because an attorney that steps into this won’t just defend the survivor but take on the entire system.
They’ll challenge the institution and push for changes so that future abuse can be prevented, so their impact will go beyond the courtroom.
How Lawyers Tackle Institutional Abuse
The term “institutional abuse” refers to cases where systems fail to protect people and instead, cover the whole thing up to keep it from reaching the public.
In the U.S., over 1300 new allegations of cervical abuse were reported from mid-2022 to mid-2023, which means that even with the past reforms, issues are still there. These cases have resulted in significant settlements and the victims received almost $285 million last year.
Of course, attorneys are crucial here because they can seek justice for the victims and hold the institutions accountable. These lawyers take on the difficult work of pushing for both justice for survivors and changes within these institutions, and this type of legal pressure has resulted; for instance, some religious organizations now have zero-tolerance policies and improved transparency.
If you’re looking for a lawyer to represent you in some such cases, the best thing to do is to look them up online. And be sure to search for lawyers that operate in the state you’re in; but ideally, in the city/town you’re in, because you’ll likely want to meet them to discuss your strategy/options.
So, for example, if you’re located in San Diego, just write “San Diego injury lawyer” into a search engine (like Google, Bing, etc.). If you’re in Las Vegas, then do the same; just change the name of the city. Some lawyers/attorneys, such as Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, will even have great “no fee unless we win” clauses, which can help deal with the trouble with the initial costs (which can sometimes be high, depending on the lawyer).
Raising Public Awareness
The reason why all these institutions try to cover up their crimes is because they don’t want to face the outrage that would come if the public learned about it. And that right there is the key to preventing it – raising public awareness.
When the public understands the scope and the nature of these kinds of issues, they’re more likely to recognize and report behavior that seems suspicious, which will create a safer environment for everyone involved.
1. Why Awareness Matters
In short, public awareness helps prevent abuse of all kinds because it gets harder for institutions to hide it. Informed communities will hold the institutions accountable and they’ll push for changes to be made so that people are protected.
Awareness will also help break the silence around abuse and encourage survivors to come forward and look for support.
2. Using Media to Inform the Public
You’ll often see that attorneys use the media to bring abuse cases to light, and they do it to bring the attention of the public to the issues that were previously hidden.
Press releases and interviews are fantastic ways for court cases to get media exposure and for the survivors’ voices to be amplified.
3. Educational Programs
Along with the media, education is another big factor in preventing and recognizing abuse.
Attorneys can take part in and support educational programs to inform people about their legal rights, what to pay attention to when it comes to signs of abuse, and how to report it.
The 3 Long-Term Effects on Society
The work of an attorney will have a big impact on the survivor they’re working with, but it can also be a way for bigger changes to happen in society in general.
Here’s how.
1. Changing How Institutions Work
Legal support forces institutions to take a look at their policies and to update them to prevent abuse in the future.
For example, a lot of institutions have implemented stricter supervision, improved training, and zero-tolerance policies as a result of legal pressure and settlements. These changes are very important for better safety and accountability because they create a structure within the institution that sees protection and transparency as priorities.
2. Impacting Laws and Legal Cases
High-profile abuse cases usually lead to new laws because the pressure from the public gets too great.
Some states, for instance, have extended or eliminated statutes of limitations for reporting abuse, which means that more survivors can seek justice regardless of whether the abuse happened recently or in the past. This makes it easier to hold abusers accountable and it makes sure that the justice system adapts and responds to issues of abuse in institutions.
3. Helping Communities Heal
When a big institution is held accountable and a survivor gets legal victory, it sends a message that nobody is above the law and that justice is possible for everyone.
It becomes obvious that changes are being made to protect people and as a result, communities can start to recover and trust the institutions that have let them down.
Conclusion
Attorneys who take on cases of institutional abuse don’t just represent their clients, they can challenge entire systems and make real change happen. They can raise awareness, push for new reforms, and show how laws can protect people and hold even the biggest, most powerful institutions accountable.
Each case and each new law is a step towards a safer future.
