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Conway Criminal Law Blog

Steps to Take if a Teacher or Coach is Sexually Harassing Me

On Behalf of The Law Office of Brad C. Richardson, LLC | Nov 04, 2024

| College Crimes

With sexual harassment taking place in sports and academia for years, more incidences have come to light in recent years. If a teacher or coach has sexually harassed you, it is essential to know that you are not to blame. At The Law Office of Brad C. Richardson, LLC, our Conway personal injury lawyer is dedicated to helping individuals who have been sexually harassed recover the compensation they deserve for their hardship.

Understand Your Rights

It is against the law for a person to exhibit discriminatory behavior for that person’s sex. Under South Carolina law, sexual harassment is defined as any discriminatory actions, including unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or verbal or physical harassment.

Even though sexual harassment is often seen in the context of the workplace, the Safe School Climate Act (SC Code §59-63-110) protects students and all persons against “harassment, intimidation, or bullying.” The law defines “harassment, intimidation, or bullying” as any act that harms a student physically or emotionally or causes the pupil to fear for their safety.

Under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, sexual harassment is defined as any unwanted sexual act that denies or prohibits a student’s ability to participate in an educational program. Examples of sexual conduct may include, but are not limited to:

Title IX protects students from discriminatory sexual behavior in school, extracurricular, athletic, or other programs. If a teacher or coach has performed such acts, you may be eligible to file a Title IX complaint.

Report the Incident

If you were the victim of sexual harassment, you need to report the incident to the authorities. If your school has a Title IX coordinator, you should report the event to that individual or department directly and to law enforcement. You may be able to lodge a formal complaint with the Title IX coordinator, who will investigate and interview witnesses to determine if your teacher or coach committed a Title IX violation.

Any information you can provide regarding sexual harassment, whether it was a single occurrence or multiple occurrences, will help a Title IX coordinator and/or law enforcement investigate the situation.

Speak with a Conway Personal Injury Lawyer

If you believe that you were the victim of sexual harassment, a Conway personal injury lawyer can help determine if your teacher or coach violated state or federal laws. Unlike a Title IX coordinator, our personal injury lawyer has the necessary resources to thoroughly investigate your matter.

As a student, you may be entitled to reimbursement for therapy, emotional distress, and pain and suffering from the teacher, coach, or school. If the harassment caused you to miss time from work, you may also be able to recover lost wages. When you bring your case to Attorney Brad C. Richardson, you can feel at ease knowing that he will calculate the full extent of your losses and fight to recover just compensation for your suffering.

A Conway Personal Injury Lawyer Seeking Justice

If you have been the target of sexual discrimination by a teacher or coach, our office wants to hear from you. At The Law Office of Brad C. Richardson, we believe that schools should provide a safe and nurturing environment that is free of discrimination. A college or university that fails to live up to this ideal should be forced to compensate victims. To learn how our Conway personal injury lawyer can assist you, contact us online or by phone today to arrange your consultation.