Encountering virtually any type of abuse at the hands of another party can be a stressful and harrowing experience. Sex abuse is a type of unlawful behavior that continues to impact the lives of many and individuals who suffer such treatment may face various hardships in life. Acts of abuse might not always have to involve some form of physical contact and even non-contact incidents could wreak havoc on the victim’s life.
Non-contact abuse
While it is no secret that acts such as inappropriate contact and unwanted physical acts may constitute sexual misconduct, such issues can also occur without contact. Even the threat of sexual abuse may be enough to intimidate a victim and those who fear what might happen if they do not comply with the demands of the abuser may feel trapped in an inescapable situation. Victims of such behavior may feel forced into taking acts such as posing for pictures without clothing, and the emotional toll of enduring such behavior can be devastating in nature.
Those who exhibit such unlawful behavior may also use the situation to manipulate the other party into complying with their wishes. Similar types of abuse may continue to escalate and in some cases, what might start out as non-contact influence could lead to unwanted contact. While those who encounter such treatment may experience an understandable desire to protect their interests, they might not always know where to turn for guidance in protecting against abuse.
Where to turn
Individuals who encounter the challenges of sex abuse and remain uncertain of how best to protect their interests could consider retaining the services of an attorney as soon as possible. An attorney can evaluate the situation a client is facing and provide much-needed guidance on all his or her legal rights and available options. Such guidance could help empower a person to step forward and confront the issues at hand and create a strategy with which to safeguard against such unjust treatment.
