Welcome to this guide outlining when you may be able to claim sexual assault compensation. We will examine the eligibility criteria needed to claim compensation through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA).
Sexual assault compensation guide
We will then explore the steps that go into valuing claims made through the CICA, in particular, the tariff of injuries that are used. This guide will also explore the evidence you must provide to satisfy the CICA eligibility criteria to claim compensation.
To conclude, we will discuss the benefits of instructing a No Win No Fee legal professional when claiming sexual assault compensation if you have a valid case and want expert advice.
Contact one of our advisors now, who would support you and help you find out if you can work with a solicitor from our panel by:
- Calling us on the phone number above
- Completing our contact us form
- Speaking with us via live chat on our website
Browse Our Guide
- When Are You Able To Claim Sexual Assault Compensation?
- What Is Sexual Assault?
- How Much Sexual Assault Compensation Could You Receive?
- What Do You Need To Seek Sexual Assault Compensation In A CICA Claim?
- Make No Win No Fee CICA Claims By Using Our Panel Of Solicitors
- Learn More About CICA Claims
When Are You Able To Claim Sexual Assault Compensation?
If you’re looking to claim sexual assault compensation, you may be able to do so through the CICA. The CICA is an executive agency that deals with violent crime compensation claims in England, Scotland and Wales.
To claim compensation through the CICA, you must satisfy the following criteria:
- You must have suffered as a result of a violent crime, as defined by the CICA. This definition includes sexual assault.
- A report of the incident must have been made to the police
- The incident must have occurred in England, Scotland, Wales or another relevant place
Time Limits
Furthermore, you must adhere to the time limits in the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012. Generally, you have 2 years to begin your claim from the date you reported the incident to the police. However, exceptional circumstances could apply that mean your claim is considered outside of this time limit, such as in some historical abuse claims.
You’re expected to report the incident to the police as soon as possible after it happens; this is generally right after it has occurred, but sometimes exceptional circumstances might stop this from being possible. In these cases, the CICA might still consider your claim, even if there was a delay in reporting the incident.
To find out more about the validity of your case, including the time limits to make a violent crime claim, contact one of our advisors now. If you have a valid claim for sexual assault compensation, they may offer to pass you over to a solicitor from our panel.
What Is Sexual Assault?
Sexual assault is defined in the Sexual Offences Act 2003. It occurs when someone touches another person sexually without their consent.
Furthermore, the Sexual Offences Act also states that the age of consent is 16. This means that someone below this age can’t consent to sexual activity; any sexual contact between an adult and a child under 16 is an offence. If a child is forced into sexual activities, this is an example of child sexual abuse.
Contact our team of advisors now for advice on making a compensation claim. They could offer support and pass you over to one of our solicitors if your sexual assault compensation claim is valid.
How Much Sexual Assault Compensation Could You Receive?
You could receive up to two kinds of compensation in successful criminal injury claims. The first is compensation for the way you were harmed by the violent crime. The CICA provides a tariff of injuries in their 2012 Scheme that will be used to value claims.
Below we have provided a table of figures from this tariff, giving examples of CICA payouts for different types of injuries.
| Injury | Compensation | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Non-consensual penile penetration of one or more of vagina, anus or mouth | £44,000 | Leading to serious internal bodily injury and severe mental illness that has been diagnosed. |
| £33,000 | Resulting in serious internal bodily injury, with moderate mental illness that's been diagnosed. | |
| £27,000 | Causing severe mental illness that has been diagnosed. | |
| £22,000 | Bringing about moderate mental illness that has been diagnosed. | |
| £22,000 | Leading to serious internal bodily injuries. | |
| £22,000 | Whereby there is a pattern of repetitive incidents over a period of three or more years. | |
| £16,500 | Where a pattern of repetitive incidents occurs over a period of up to three years. | |
| Sexual Assault | £27,000 | Resulting in severe mental illness that's been diagnosed. |
| £22,000 | Resulting in moderate mental illness that's been diagnosed. | |
| £22,000 | Leading to serious internal bodily injuries. |
Claiming Special Expenses In A Sexual Assault Claim
You could also receive compensation for certain special expenses you have incurred as a result of the violent crime you’ve experienced in a sexual assault compensation claim. Examples of special expenses that you could be compensated for can be found below.
- Medical treatments from the NHS or another state health service where these costs would have also arisen under NHS care.
- Costs associated with the adaption of your home to improve your independence. This could include a ramp up to your front door instead of steps.
- Specialist equipment, like wheelchairs or walking aids.
These costs must have been necessary, directly linked to your injury, and reasonable. They must not be available for free elsewhere.
If you have an eligible case, a solicitor from our panel could help you claim special expenses as part of their service, so contact our team of advisors today.
What Do You Need To Seek Sexual Assault Compensation In A CICA Claim?
When claiming sexual assault compensation, you must provide certain evidence to satisfy the CICA eligibility criteria. To satisfy the requirements, you will need to give:
- Your police reference number, proving that the crime was reported
- Proof that you meet the CICA’s requirements to claim with regard to your residency
- Medical evidence that shows how you were impacted
Moreover, the CICA can liaise with the police for information they require surrounding the incident when you make a criminal injury claim. For example, they might confirm with the police any unspent convictions that you have that could impact the compensation you’re awarded.
If you have any questions about claiming sexual assault compensation, contact our team of advisors. They could provide a free case assessment and may be able to pass you to one of the solicitors from our panel.
Make No Win No Fee CICA Claims By Using Our Panel Of Solicitors
When claiming sexual assault compensation, you may want to instruct a legal professional for expert advice if you have a valid case. If so, the No Win No Fee legal solicitors from our panel can provide a Conditional Fee Agreement, which may prove advantageous to you.
The benefits of this agreement are:
- No upfront legal costs to gain legal representation for your criminal injury claim
- No running costs to progress your case
- If your claim is unsuccessful, you won’t have to pay for the legal services you’ve received
- If your claim wins, you will pay a success fee, which is a small portion of the compensation you’re awarded and is legally capped
Our panel of sexual assault claims solicitors offer a Conditional Fee Agreement and have years of experience dealing with these types of cases. Additionally, they would only work with you if they felt your violent crime claim had a good chance of winning. This means you know your time will be used effectively if you begin instruction with them.
To find out if you can work with a solicitor from our panel for a compensation claim relating to sexual assault, contact our team of advisors now for a free case assessment by:
- Calling us on the phone number above
- Completing our contact us form
- Speaking with us via live chat on our website
Learn More About CICA Claims
We hope this guide has helped answer your questions about claiming sexual assault compensation. For more of our helpful guides, please look below:
- Statistics on sexual assault
- A guide about using a CICA claim calculator
- How to claim compensation for historical abuse
For some external resources, please look here:
- Find out how Victim Support could help and support you
- A Guide from Gov UK about criminal injuries compensation
- A guide from the NHS about getting help after rape and sexual assault
Writer Will Grey
Publisher Fern Scrimshaw
