This article will provide information about claiming compensation for cousin sexual abuse through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA).
The CICA awards compensation to people who have been injured in a crime of violence. In this article, we cover the eligibility requirements for sexual abuse claims. We follow this by looking at a few examples of sexual abuse.
This article will also explain how the CICA could award you sexual abuse compensation. If you decide to go forward with a claim, the CICA will ask you to provide certain evidence. We’ll explain what you need to help you prove a claim.
However, you may wish to have a solicitor to support you during the claims process. If so, we can help connect you to a specialist No Win No Fee solicitor.
To speak with a team member:
- Call the number at the top of the page.
- Connect using the webchat.
- Fill in our ‘contact us’ form for an advisor to call you back.
Choose A Section
- When Are You Able To Claim Compensation For Cousin Sexual Abuse?
- Examples Of Cousin Sexual Abuse
- How Much Compensation Could You Receive Through CICA Claims?
- What Do You Need To Make A CICA Claim?
- Claim Cousin Sexual Abuse Compensation Using Our Panel Of Experienced No Win No Fee Solicitors
- Learn More About Sexual Abuse Claims
When Are You Able To Claim Compensation For Cousin Sexual Abuse?
As mentioned above, you might be able to make a claim through the CICA for the long-term effects you experienced due to cousin sexual abuse. However, there are specific eligibility criteria that must be satisfied. These include:
- You must have reported the incident to the police. The police or crime reference number (CRN) is required to claim.
- The time limits must be adhered to. Generally, you have a two-year window from the date of making the police report. You will normally be expected to make this right away unless you can prove that an exceptional situation prevented this. There are other exceptions to this two-year window.
- The abuse must have happened in England, Wales, Scotland or another relevant location.
- You must have suffered either a physical or mental injury (or both) in a crime of violence. This is defined as an act that is violent in its nature that results in harm, the threat of violence with a reasonable firmness to be in fear, arson, and sexual abuse or assault.
- If you were a witness of the incident or were with the victim in the immediate aftermath, or the crime of violence resulted in bereavement and you are a qualifying relative, you could also claim.
If you have any questions about the eligibility criteria or the time limits if you are seeking historic abuse compensation, contact our team for free claims advice.
Examples Of Cousin Sexual Abuse
The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) defines sexual abuse as being forced or tricked into sexual activities. The NSPCC is a charity that provides support and advice to children and parents.
According to the NSPCC, there are two types of sexual abuse: contact (where the abuser makes physical contact) and non-contact (where the abuser does not physically touch).
A few examples of sexual abuse include:
- Rape.
- Assault by penetration.
- Forced participation in sexual activities.
- Exposing a child to sexual acts and pornography.
- Forcing someone to make, view or share child abuse images or making them yourself.
Cousin sexual abuse may have occurred many years ago when you were a child. This is called historical or non-recent abuse. Additionally, the NSPCC states that the impact can last a lifetime.
One of our team members can advise you on historical abuse claims if this is a route you’d like to take.
How Much Compensation Could You Receive Through CICA Claims?
You could receive sexual abuse compensation for the harm and injuries caused by the incident as well as special expenses for financial losses.
If your claim through the CICA is successful, compensation for the harm you suffered as a result of cousin sexual abuse will be awarded through the CICA from the tariff of injuries found in the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012.
You can claim for up to three injuries from the main tariff. The multiple injuries formula is as follows:
- 100% of the tariff for the injury with the highest value.
- 30% for the second.
- 15% for the third.
Additionally, you might qualify for other payment amounts that are not subject to the multiple injuries formula. This means that if the abuse results in pregnancy, losing a baby or a sexually transmitted infection (STI), you could receive additional compensation.
In our table below, we look at a few examples from the CICA tariff of injuries. As every claim is different, these figures are only provided as guidance.
| Type of Incident | Severity | Notes | Tariff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Penile Penetration (any age) | Serious physical injuries and severe mental illness | The claimant has serious internal injuries and a permanent mental illness that is severe in nature due to penile penetration. | £44,000 |
| Repetitive | This tariff applies to repeated incidents of penile penetration carried out over 3 or more years. | £22,000 | |
| Moderate Mental Injury | The claimant suffers a permanent, disabling mental illness as the result of non-consensual penile penetration. | £22,000 | |
| Serious | This tariff applies to non-consensual penile penetration that caused serious internal injuries. | £22,000 | |
| 1 attacker | The claimant suffered non-consensual penetration of their vagina, anus or mouth by 1 attacker. | £11,000 | |
| Sexual Assault (any age) | Severe Mental Illness | The claimant suffered sexual abuse that resulted in a severe, permanently disabling mental illness. | £27,000 |
| Repetitive | This tariff applies to repetitive frequent and severe abuse that results in serious internal injuries. | £22,000 | |
| Repetitive | The tariff is for those who suffered 3 or more years of frequent severe abuse. | £8,200 | |
| Repetitive | The claimant suffered up to 3 years of repetitive and frequent severe abuse. | £6,600 | |
| Minor | This tariff applies to non-penetrative acts over clothing. | £1,000 |
Special Expenses In Abuse Claims
You may also receive a special expenses payment as part of your claim. However, payments can only be made for certain items. These include:
- Relied upon equipment, such as eyeglasses.
- Treatment costs.
- Specialist equipment, such as physical aids.
- Care costs related to bodily functions or meal preparation.
- Supervision costs.
- Administration costs, such as setting up a trust, administering the trust and Court of Protection or Public Guardian fees.
You can direct any questions about how the CICA could award compensation for cousin sexual abuse to one of our team members.
What Do You Need To Make A CICA Claim?
The CICA will ask you for certain items when you make a claim for cousin sexual abuse. These include:
- Your crime reference number.
- Proof that you meet the residency requirements.
- Medical evidence.
- If you are claiming special expenses, you will also need evidence of these.
The CICA will liaise with the police using your crime reference number. This means that you do not need to wait for a conviction or even for your cousin to be arrested before starting your claim. This is different to criminal cases, where the assailant’s guilt must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
You may wish to instruct a solicitor specialising in sexual abuse cases to help you with your claim through the CICA. In the next section, we look at how one of the specialist sexual abuse solicitors from our panel could help.
Alternatively, if you are ready to start your claim, you can speak with one of our team members now.
Claim Cousin Sexual Abuse Compensation Using Our Panel Of Experienced No Win No Fee Solicitors
If you are eligible to seek compensation through the CICA for cousin sexual abuse, you may wish to do so with the support of a solicitor. If so, one of the sexual assault solicitors from our panel could provide legal representation. The solicitors on our panel generally operate on a No Win No Fee basis. This type of arrangement is also known as a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA).
When your solicitor provides their services under a CFA, you generally won’t be asked for upfront or ongoing costs to cover their work on your case. Furthermore, they won’t ask for a payment for their services if you are not awarded compensation following an unsuccessful claim.
However, your solicitor will subtract a success fee from your award if the outcome of your case is positive. This fee is a legally limited percentage.
One of the advisors from our team could help you get started on your claim for family sexual abuse. Any advice they give is free. Additionally, if you wish to continue with our services and have good grounds for a claim, they can connect you to one of the sexual abuse claims solicitors from our panel.
To speak with our team:
- Call the number at the top of the page.
- Connect using our web chat.
- Fill in our ‘contact us’ form for an advisor to call you back.
Learn More About Sexual Abuse Claims
These additional articles might be useful:
- Statistics on sexual assault.
- Your legal rights to compensation as a sexual abuse survivor.
- Can I claim compensation for sexual abuse?
External links that could help you:
- NHS guidance on rape and sexual assault.
- Government guidance on reporting rape and sexual assault.
- Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) guide to sexual offences.
If you need any help claiming after cousin sexual abuse, please speak with one of our team members.
