Liam Goggin
Partner, Head of Abuse Claims
Call our Abuse Claims Solicitors for free initial legal advice. You might be eligible for Legal Aid or a No Win, No Fee agreement.
No one should have to go through something as traumatic as sexual abuse. If you’re a survivor of abuse, it can be extremely difficult to come to terms with and no amount of money will make up for what you’ve been through. We can also provide you with details of support organisations and survivors groups who may be able to offer support.
Taking legal action against your abuser or those responsible for your abuse can help you to find the closure you need to start to rebuild your life. In addition, our team are specialists in bringing Criminal Injuries Claims and can provide you with the support you need to make a claim.
Our empathetic and compassionate Abuse Team have years of experience in representing survivors of sexual abuse and rape, helping them to get the closure and justice they need to move forward.
If you’d like advice about making a claim for sexual abuse or rape, please get in touch for a free, confidential chat about your situation.
Sexual abuse is any unwanted sexual act or activity. It includes rape, assault, sexual harassment, inappropriate touching and being watched or photographed naked without consent.
No matter who the abuser is or where or when it happened, if it happened without your consent, it is abuse.
By law, you cannot consent to sexual activity if you are:
Opening up about sexual abuse can be very difficult and the idea of taking legal action can feel daunting. Using a specialist Abuse Solicitor allows someone else to fight for you.
As well as helping you make a sexual abuse claim, we can introduce you to specialist support and survivor groups suited to your situation, so you’ve got long-term support in place.
With over 30 years’ experience in helping survivors of abuse, you can be reassured that we’ll do all we can to get you the justice you deserve.
We’ll be clear and straightforward when we talk to you, and we won’t use complex legal jargon
We’re members of the Association of Child Abuse Lawyers (ACAL) and we subscribe to its code of conduct
As well as helping you make a sexual abuse claim, we can introduce you to specialist support and survivor groups suited to your situation, so you’ve got long-term support in place.
Simpson Millar5 starsJust a note to say thank you to…
Just a note to say thank you to Nathalie !! You’ve been absolutely amazing, such a great support and you always show so much compassion. You are an expert in your field and it is very obvious that you...
Becky
Simpson Millar5 stars5 star service.
I’ve been working with Simpson Millar for 5 years on what has honestly has been an emotional roller coaster of a case. Both my solicitors Liam and especially Kate hall have been absolutely fantastic....
Mae Emilie
Simpson Millar5 starsNatalie Swanwick
Natalie has been working with claims for a while now, and she has been excellent in keeping me update and explaining thing so I can have a complete fully understanding of what is happening and going...
Karla Thomas
Simpson Millar5 starsNatalie Swanwick represented me in my…
Natalie Swanwick represented me in my claim for damages against a local authority from the start of her taking my case until the settlement she acted in a very professional but empathic and at times s...
Jue wilson
Simpson Millar5 starsI would like to thank tamsin Jacob and…
I would like to thank tamsin Jacob and keir for the support and hard work they put in to help me with my case I was always kept upto date with the progress, I would definitely recommend them to anyo...
Mark Oleary
Simpson Millar5 starsSolicitors for the people
I was kept informed of my case at every stage by the fantastic Mr Joshua Hirst the company are very approachable and friendly but also dealing with my case sensitively and securely,I couldn't ask for...
Mel
Simpson Millar5 starsExcellent service from Simpson Millar…
Excellent service from Simpson Millar from start to finish the advice that kate gave and the way she explained things was excellent Highly recommended
Lee Eccles
At Simpson Millar we want to help you. We are proud of our track record and the comments from our clients which is at the end of the day why we do the work we do.
We’ll listen to you with complete confidentiality and offer you our advice and support. If you haven’t already reported your abuse to the police, we might tell you to contact them as a criminal conviction will strongly back your case.
Your Sexual Abuse Solicitor will gather evidence to support your case, such as medical records, proof of where you went to school or details of any children’s homes you lived in.
Most sexual abuse claims settle out of Court, and we’ll do everything we can to settle your case before going to Court. We’ll send a letter to the responsible party (an individual or an institution) setting out the details of your claim. They will then have a set amount of time to respond to your claim, detailing whether they accept or deny responsibility, known as liability.
Very few cases of this nature go to Court although not all cases are successful. If your case does go to Court, you may need to give evidence to a Judge, but this only happens in very limited circumstances. We understand that going to Court can feel worrying, stressful and upsetting. But if it reaches this stage, your Abuse Solicitor will be with you every step of the way.
We can help you bring a claim against an individual abuser or an institution or organisation such as:
This is not a limited list and we consider all potential defendants when assessing cases.
If your abuse took place a long time ago, and you’re not sure if your abuser is still alive or the organisation still exists, don’t let this put you off coming forward.
We could still help you make a claim for historic abuse.
While the Court does have some time limits in place for sexual abuse and rape claims, they can make exceptions for these cases, as they understand that there are many reasons why people don’t come forward.
If your abuse took place some time ago, don’t let this put you off from coming forward and making a claim. We’ve helped many survivors of historic sexual abuse successfully claim compensation and we can help you too.
Survivors of sexual abuse at York's prestigious Queen Ethelburga’s School, where child protection officer Alexander Charles Ralls committed numerous offenses, are urged to seek support. Ralls, convicted on various sexual assault charges, abused his position from 2011 to 2015. His conviction follows the jailing of the school’s former owner, Brian Martin, for similar crimes. Simpson Millar’s specialist Abuse Solicitors are assisting victims and encourage others affected to come forward.
Following the death of George Holden, a children's entertainer imprisoned for sexual abuse, victims of sexual abuse are encouraged to come forward for legal advice regarding compensation claims against his estate. Holden, from Chesterfield, was 88 when he received a 13-year sentence in November 2021 at Derby Crown Court for abusing two boys in the 1970s. Known as Georgie The Clown, he committed these crimes at various locations, including his home and Queen’s Park Leisure Centre. Derbyshire Police highlighted the extensive damage Holden caused, noting his previous convictions for similar offenses in the 1960s and 1980s.
Hywel Thomas discusses the need to change workplace culture to stop abuse. He mentions many cases of sexual harassment and assault in different jobs like fast food, TV, retail, health, and government. There's a common problem of hiding these issues and not helping victims.
When you first contact Simpson Millar, our dedicated enquiries team will discuss the initial details of your claim. You’ll then be allocated a specialist Abuse Claims Solicitor and we will send you a questionnaire to complete with details about your claim.
If you have experienced physical or sexual abuse and wish to make a claim under the Criminal Injuries Compensation (CIC) Scheme, contact our Abuse Claims Solicitors for free legal advice and a no-obligation discussion.
Our specialist Abuse Claims Solicitors are often asked lots of questions about sexual abuse and violence. In this article, we answer some of the most frequently asked questions that we hear.
Fill in the form below to get in touch with one of our dedicated team members, or call our team today on: 0808 239 1287