At Friedman Law, our child sexual abuse lawyers understand that abuse cases require compassion, patience, and a trauma-informed approach. Our role is to help you understand your legal rights under Nebraska law and to guide you toward resources that can support healing, accountability, and a path forward.
The numbers are impossible to ignore. The Lincoln Police Department saw a more than 240% jump in child abuse citations and arrests in 2021 alone. Too many children experience sexual abuse at a young age, and those figures reflect only the cases that are reported and confirmed.
If you’re reading this, you may be a parent concerned about your child’s safety. You may be a survivor seeking clarity about your rights. Or you may suspect that a child you know is being harmed. Whatever brought you here, you should know that help is available in Lincoln and throughout Nebraska.
Types of Child Sexual Abuse
Child sexual abuse can take many forms, and it’s not always physical. Recognizing the different types can help parents, caregivers, and professionals identify and respond to abuse. Common forms include:
- Contact Abuse: Any physical sexual activity with a child, including inappropriate touching, fondling, or sexual assault, which includes sexual intercourse or attempted sexual acts.
- Non-Contact Abuse: Exposing a child to sexual acts, pornography, or sexualized media, like sexual harassment, suggestive comments, or verbal sexual exploitation.
- Exploitation: Using a child for sexual gratification or profit, such as through child pornography or sex trafficking, like forcing a child to perform sexual acts for another person or for online sharing.
- Grooming: Manipulative behavior used by perpetrators to gain a child’s trust and silence them, which often involves gifts, special attention, or psychological manipulation to prepare the child for abuse.
- Abuse by Authority Figures: When someone in a trusted position, such as a teacher, coach, clergy member, or caregiver, exploits their authority to commit sexual abuse.
Defining Child Sexual Abuse Under Nebraska Law
Nebraska law is clear about what constitutes child sexual abuse. It includes any sexual contact or interaction with a minor. These offenses fall under Nebraska’s Child Protection and Safety Act, specifically Sections 28-710 to 28-727 of the state statutes, which outline both criminal penalties and the framework for protecting children.
Who commits these crimes? The answer often surprises people. While strangers do sometimes harm children, the majority of perpetrators are people the child knows and trusts. Common perpetrators include:
- Family members and relatives
- Teachers and school staff
- Coaches and athletic trainers
- Clergy members and religious leaders
- Healthcare providers
- Daycare workers and babysitters
- Other adults in positions of authority
The betrayal of trust makes the trauma more complex and more challenging for young people to process. Children are taught to respect and obey these adults, which is precisely what abusers exploit.
Lincoln families witnessed this sad reality when a Northeast High School teacher was arrested on four counts of sexual abuse. The perpetrator was an English Learner teacher and allegedly inappropriately touched multiple female students who were learning to speak English. The case highlights how vulnerable children can be, making it harder for them to report abuse and seek help.
Understanding Nebraska’s Statute of Limitations
Time limits for filing lawsuits matter in child sexual abuse cases, and Nebraska’s laws recognize that survivors often need years before they’re ready to come forward.
Under Nebraska Revised Statutes 25-228, there is no time limit to sue the direct perpetrator for abuse that occurred on or after August 24, 2017. For claims against institutions like schools, churches, or youth organizations, survivors have until 12 years after their 21st birthday to file.
Nebraska lawmakers are working to expand survivors’ rights further through Legislative Bill 12 (LB 12), which proposes eliminating the civil statute of limitations. Even with these generous time limits, consulting a Lincoln attorney promptly still matters because evidence disappears over time, witnesses move away, and documents get lost.
Support Resources for Lincoln Families
Survivors and families in Lincoln have access to several local organizations that provide specialized support:
- BraveBe Child Advocacy Center offers forensic interviews, medical evaluations, survivor advocacy, and mental health services for children who have experienced abuse.
- Voices of Hope provides 24/7 crisis intervention, counseling, and support groups for survivors of sexual assault and abuse.
- Child Guidance Center offers trauma-focused therapy and mental health services for children and families dealing with abuse.
These organizations work together to provide comprehensive care that addresses the physical, emotional, and legal needs of abuse survivors and their families.
Taking the Next Step
Coming forward about child sexual abuse takes tremendous courage, and Friedman Law is here to support you through the legal process. We handle these cases on a contingency fee basis with no upfront costs, and our initial consultation is free and completely confidential.
When survivors take legal action, they seek justice for themselves while protecting other children in Lincoln from the same trauma. Contact us today to discuss your legal rights under Nebraska law in a safe, judgment-free environment.