This guide will inform you of how you may be able to claim if you’ve suffered sexual abuse by your sister. We explain what circumstances could entitle you to make a claim for sexual abuse compensation, including for historic abuse, through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority.
A guide to claiming for sexual abuse by your sister
In addition, we look at how claims made through the CICA are valued and explain the tariff of injuries from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme.
Should you have valid grounds to make a claim for criminal injury compensation, you may like to have the support of a solicitor. This guide concludes with a look at the benefits of working with one on a No Win No Fee basis.
To learn more about sexual abuse claims, please get in touch with one of the advisors from our team:
- Call the number at the top of the page.
- Use our live chat.
- Contact us online.
Choose A Section
- Can You Claim For Sexual Abuse By Your Sister?
- What Is Sexual Abuse?
- What Criminal Injury Compensation Could You Receive From The CICA?
- CICA Claims – What Do You Need To Make A Claim?
- Make A No Win No Fee Criminal Injury Claim Using Our Panel Of Solicitors
- Learn More About Claiming For Sexual Abuse By Your Sister
Can You Claim For Sexual Abuse By Your Sister?
You could be eligible for compensation if you suffered sexual abuse by your sister through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA). The CICA is a government agency that can award compensation for people who have suffered physical or mental injuries due to a crime of violence.
Certain eligibility criteria apply when making a CICA claim. This includes:
- You must have reported the incident to the police.
- The incident must have happened in England, Scotland, Wales or another relevant place.
- The incident needs to meet the definition of a crime of violence as set out in the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012.
If you have any questions about your eligibility to make a compensation claim through the CICA, please get in touch with one of our advisors. If you do have a valid claim, you could be connected with a No Win No Fee solicitor from our panel to work on your case.
What Is Sexual Abuse
The Sexual Offences Act 2003 states that it is a criminal offence to engage in sexual contact with someone without their consent. It also specifies that sexual contact between someone over 18 and a child under 16 is a criminal offence.
The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) identifies two forms of sexual abuse: contact and non-contact abuse. Contact sexual abuse as where physical contact is made with a child. This includes:
- Sexual touching.
- Using an object for penetration.
- Having a child participate in sexual activities.
- Making a child undress or touch someone else.
You may still be able to claim if you experienced historical abuse. This is sometimes called non-recent abuse. It is when an adult was abused as a child under the age of 18.
If you need any help understanding whether you could claim for sexual abuse as a child through the CICA, please get in touch with our advisors. They can assess whether you have grounds for a claim, including if claiming after reporting it years later.
What Criminal Injury Compensation Could You Receive From The CICA?
Compensation for sexual abuse by your sister could be calculated by the CICA using the tariff of injuries found in the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012.
You can claim for three injuries from the main tariff. For multiple injuries, a formula is applied; it is as follows:
- 100% of the tariff amount for the highest-valued injury.
- 30% for the second-highest value injury or injury with the same value.
- 15% for the third highest valued injury or injury with the same value.
You may receive compensation from a different tariff that is not subject to the multiple injuries formula if you became pregnant, lost a foetus or contracted an STI as a result of the crime of violence.
Examples of CICA Payouts
In our table below, we’ve included a few of the tariff entries from the Compensation Scheme. It is only to be used as guidance.
| Injury | Notes | Tariff |
|---|---|---|
| Non-penile penetration or oral genital acts | This tariff is appropriate for non-penile penetration or oral genital acts that result in a severe mental illness that is permanently disabling. | £27,000 |
| Non-penile penetration or oral genital acts | This is the appropriate tariff for non-penile penetration or oral genital acts resulting in a moderate mental illness that is permanently disabling. | £22,000 |
| Non-penile penetration or oral genital acts | This tariff includes a pattern of repetitive and frequent incidents that result in serious internal injuries. | £22,000 |
| Non-penile penetration or oral genital acts | This tariff includes a pattern of repetitive and frequent incidents that last over 3 years or more. | £8,200 |
| Non-penile penetration or oral genital acts | This tariff is appropriate for a pattern of repetitive and frequent incidents that take place over a period lasting up to 3 years. | £6,600 |
| Non-penile penetration or oral genital acts | This tariff is appropriate for one incident of non-penile penetration or one oral genital act. | £3,300 |
| Serious Sexual Assault of a Child Under 18 | This tariff is appropriate for a pattern of repetitive non-penetrative sexual acts under clothing. | £3,300 |
| Serious Sexual Assault of a Child Under 18 | This tariff is appropriate for non-penetrative sexual acts under clothing. | £2,000 |
| Minor Sexual Assault as a Child | This is the appropriate tariff for non-penetrative but frequent sexual acts over clothing. | £1,500 |
| Minor Sexual Assault as a Child | This is the appropriate tariff for non-penetrative over clothing sexual acts. | £1,000 |
Special Expenses In A CICA Injury Claim
In addition to a tariff amount, you may qualify for a special expenses payment to recover costs incurred due to your injury. Under special expenses, you could claim for:
- Any relied-upon equipment, such as your glasses or a walking stick.
- Equipment needed to cope with your injuries.
- Certain care and medical costs.
- Supervision costs for those who pose a substantial danger to themselves or another.
If you would like to know more about the compensation that could be awarded if you experienced sexual abuse by your sister, please contact one of the advisors from our team.
CICA Claims – What Do You Need To Make A Claim?
When you make your criminal injury compensation claim for suffering sexual abuse by your sister, the CICA will ask you to provide:
- Proof that you meet the residency requirements.
- The police reference number showing you reported the incident.
- Medical evidence.
- Proof of special expenses, if applicable.
Additionally, you are expected to adhere to the time limits when applying for criminal injury compensation. This is generally two years after first reporting the incident to the police. You are expected to make a police report right away.
However, if exceptional circumstances prevented either the reporting of the incident or the claim from being done within the expected timeframe, then an exception could be made.
Please get in contact with our advisors to find out if you could be entitled to claim compensation for sexual abuse. They can discuss the claiming process with you and may be able to pass you to a solicitor if your case is valid.
Make A No Win No Fee Criminal Injury Claim Using Our Panel Of Solicitors
If you would like to claim sexual abuse compensation, one of the sexual assault solicitors from our panel could help you. They have experience with compensation claims made through the CICA.
The solicitors on our panel typically offer their services under the terms of a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). This is a type of No Win No Fee arrangement.
When a solicitor uses a No Win No Fee arrangement to provide their services, they generally won’t ask for any upfront or ongoing payments.
If your claim is a success, they will take a success fee out of your award. The success fee is a percentage of your compensation that is subject to a legislative cap. If your solicitor fails to recover compensation, you won’t be asked to pay this fee.
To see if you are eligible to claim for sexual abuse by your sister, contact our advisors. If it seems like you have grounds for a claim, they could connect you with one of the solicitors from our panel.
To speak with an advisor:
- Call the number at the top of the page.
- Use our live chat.
- Contact us online.
Learn More About Claiming For Sexual Abuse By Your Sister
Additional guides:
Further reading that might be helpful if you suffered sexual abuse by your sister:
- Help After Rape And Sexual Assault Guidance from the NHS.
- Spotting The Signs of Child Sex Abuse Guide from the NHS.
- Sexual Offences Information from the Crown Prosecution Service.
Writer Danielle Byrd
Publisher Fern Scrimshaw
