Author: Joelle Casteix

The biggest question category I get from people is “Where can I get help with …?”

So let’s tackle three big ones:

Q: Where can I find an attorney who is an expert on child sexual abuse civil litigaion?

A; Talk to a survivor who has gone through the civil justice process. You can also do research on other lawsuits against your perpetrator (if there are any) and see who the attorneys who handled those cases are. Finally, you can go to the

(a part of the National Center for Victims of Crime). They have an excellent referral service that can give you the names of qualified, experienced attorneys who handle child sexual abuse civil cases.

Q: I am a crime victim and the person who hurt me is being criminally prosecuted by local law enforcement. The perpetrator has a lawyer and the STATE is represented by the prosecutor. But I don’t have anyone who’s only job is to protect my legal interests. Who can I call? What if I can’t afford it?

A: The BEST place to start is the National Crime Victims Law Institute. Start with their Victims Rights QUICK TOOL, a nifty, easy to use tool that tells you about your rights as a crime victim and how to protect them. They can also match you with a pro bono attorney who is ready to help you through the process.

Q: I am a crime victim and I don’t even know where to start in the process. It’s really overwhelming. Is there somewhere I can go or call to help me figure out my next steps?

A: Yes! The National Center for Victims of Crime has an excellent referral center called Victim Connect. It’s a referral helpline where crime victims can learn about their rights and options confidentially and compassionately —no matter where you are in the United States. Check it out.

I hate to be pushy. But once this window closes, many survivors will lost the right to use the courts to expose abusers.

If you are a survivor of child sexual abuse—no matter the perpetrator—and the abuse occurred in California, the Civil Window for many survivors of abuse will CLOSE on December 31, 2022.

Even if you are not sure if you are ready, you need to explore your rights. Coming forward is about keeping kids safe RIGHT NOW, holding institutions responsible so that they CHANGE, and exposing abusers who may still be preying on the most vulnerable.

Need help, reach out. I’m here to help, as are other groups.

Two survivors of child sexual abuse have said Katella High School’s David Sepe sexually abused them while he was their teacher at Savannah High School. Both schools are in the Anaheim’s Union High School District.

But it gets worse –

• Sepe was accused in the early 2000s of abuse
• The Anaheim Unified HS District knew about the accusations
• There has been no public announcement of the latest lawsuit against Sepe the school district’s websites
• Sepe is still listed as a teacher and coach at Savannah

Please pass this information along. I am pretty sure that most of the parents at Savannah have no idea about the lawsuits.

If you have information about the district’s response (letters, emails, etc.) or Sepe’s status on campus, feel free to send anything my way. Your privacy will be protected (as will the safety of more than one kid.)

And it’s safe to come forward and report, even if you don’t want to file a lawsuit.

People fascinate me. I love to ask questions. And when you ask someone the RIGHT question at the RIGHT time, the results can be extraordinary.

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