Historic sexual abuse claims

If you have been a victim of historical sexual abuse, you may have suffered physically and psychologically for many years. But even if decades have passed since the abuse took place, it is never too late to seek justice.

By pursuing a historical sexual abuse claim, victims can seek compensation for the damages they have been through.

At Oakwood Solicitors we submit Historical Sexual Abuse claims through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA), which means the perpetrator is never contacted.

There has been several high-profile reports of these crimes nature in the media recently, including cases of sexual abuse within sports clubs, schools and the entertainment industry.

Meanwhile, shocking statistics from the Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) show that 3.1 million adults between the ages of 18 to 74 years had experienced a type of sexual abuse before the age of 16 years. But it is never too late to take action.

Our team of legal experts handle these cases sensitively, and our file handlers have experience with dealing with traumatic incidents and in dealing with vulnerable people. We can also offer our clients the option to have a female or male advisor, depending on their preference.

We have broken down everything you need to know about these types of claims.

What is historical abuse?

Historical abuse is when an adult was sexually abused as a child or young person under the age of 18. It can refer to a single incident or multiple occasions of abuse, it can have been carried out by a stranger, relative or someone you know.

Sexual or physical abuse is a crime whatever the age of the person it is perpetrated against. The Sexual Offences Act 1956 applies to crimes committed before May 2004, whereas the Sexual Offences Act 2003 applies to offences committed after this date.

Child sexual abuse is defined by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) as enforcing or inciting a child to engage in sexual acts. Child sexual abuse is still abuse whether or not the child recognises that there is anything wrong.

How to make a claim

At Oakwood Solicitors, we make claims of this nature through the CICA.

There are strict eligibility criteria to qualify for CICA awards, however, for historic abuse cases, there can be exceptions.

For example, one of the criteria is that you must have reported the incident to the police as soon as possible. But, if you were a child at the time of the abuse and you did not have the means to contact the police, or if you did not realise what was happening was wrong at the time, the CICA may make exceptions.

By using a solicitor to make your claim, you will have a higher chance of a successful outcome with the CICA.

What can I claim?

The CICA pay out compensation for injuries based on their tariff of injuries. You can only receive compensation for 3 injuries from this tariff, and only the highest valued will be paid the full amount. The second and third highest-valued injuries will be paid at 30% and 15% of the tariff amount respectively.

In addition to this, the CICA can give awards for special expenses that directly relate to the abuse. They must be reasonable, necessary and a direct result of the crime you’re claiming for.

In order to claim special expenses, you will need to have experienced a loss of earnings for at least 28 full weeks after the incident. There are a range of special expenses that will be backdated; however, if you wish to claim loss of earnings, this will only be paid from the 29th week onwards.

For more information on the process of claiming for historical abuse, speak with one of

Compensation guidelines

The CICA uses guidelines to establish how much compensation to issue. They pay out compensation for injuries based on their tariff and you can only receive compensation for 3 injuries from this tariff, and only the highest valued will be paid at the full amount. The second and third highest-valued injuries will be paid at 30% and 15% of the tariff amount respectively.

In addition to this, the CICA can give awards for special expenses that directly relate to the abuse. They must be reasonable, necessary and a direct result of the crime you’re claiming for.

To claim special expenses, you will need to have experienced a loss of earnings for at least 28 full weeks after the incident. There are a range of special expenses that will be backdated; however, if you wish to claim loss of earnings, this will only be paid from the 29th week onwards.

Why should I choose Oakwood Solicitors Ltd to make my claim?

Oakwood Solicitors Ltd agrees to work on your historical abuse claim on a ‘no-win, no-fee’ basis. If your claim is unsuccessful, you will not be expected to pay us a penny.

If you are successful in your claim, we take a percentage of the compensation meaning that the only time we will receive money is if we have brought your claim to a fruitful conclusion.

You will have a dedicated advisor who will see your claim through from start to finish, assisting you in the event of any queries or issues you may have. If it is preferable to you, we can assign you one of our female advisors to carry out your claim.

Your case handler will also continue to provide regular updates until the conclusion of your claim, ensuring the process is as stress-free and effortless as possible.