Justice on Your Terms
Sexual assault upends lives. Survivors are too often met with disbelief, silence, or institutions more interested in protecting themselves than the people they harmed. A civil lawsuit puts you in control: it is your case, brought on your behalf, to secure compensation and hold accountable those responsible.
Stanton Law DC represents individuals and employees, never corporations, in civil cases arising from sexual assault and sexual abuse in Washington, D.C. and Maryland. A civil claim does not depend on whether the police made an arrest or a prosecutor filed charges, and it is decided under a lower burden of proof than a criminal case. Whatever path you choose, the firm brings trial-ready preparation and a relentless focus on obtaining maximum compensation for what you have endured.
Our Litigation & Trial Approach
Every case is built from day one as though it will go to trial. That means preserving evidence early, identifying every party that bears responsibility, and documenting the full scope of your losses. Defendants and their insurers pay fair value when they know the other side is ready, able, and willing to fight. When they will not, Stanton Law DC is prepared to take your case to a verdict.
Who Can Be Held Responsible
The person who committed the assault is not always the only one who should answer for it. Depending on the facts, a civil case may reach:
- The perpetrator, directly, for assault, battery, and the intentional infliction of emotional distress.
- Employers that ignored complaints, failed to investigate, or allowed a known risk to remain in the workplace, including claims for sexual harassment and hostile work environment under federal, D.C., and Maryland law.
- Institutions and organizations, such as schools, nonprofits, medical practices, and others, that negligently hired, retained, or supervised the person responsible, or concealed what happened.
- Anyone who retaliated against you for reporting the assault or cooperating with an investigation.
Industry Experience: Tech, Finance, Entertainment & Politics
Sexual assault and harassment thrive where power is concentrated and careers depend on the goodwill of a few gatekeepers. Josh Stanton has extensive experience litigating sexual assault and sexual harassment cases on behalf of survivors in technology, finance, entertainment, and politics, and understands how each industry protects its powerful players, and how to hold them accountable.
Sexual Assault & Harassment in Tech
From venture-backed startups to major technology companies, survivors in tech often face founders, executives, and investors who control their equity and their future in a tight-knit industry. Stanton Law DC represents engineers, product managers, sales professionals, and other tech employees, and accounts for the full value of what is at stake, including stock options, RSUs, and lost future compensation. Tech employers also lean heavily on arbitration agreements and NDAs, many of which federal law no longer allows them to enforce against survivors.
Sexual Assault & Harassment in Finance
Banks, investment firms, hedge funds, private equity, and wealth management firms remain dominated by high-earning rainmakers whose misconduct is too often tolerated because of the revenue they generate. Survivors in finance may stand to lose bonuses, deferred compensation, and a book of business built over years. Stanton Law DC brings these losses into the damages case and confronts the industry's reliance on confidential arbitration and quiet settlements.
Sexual Assault & Harassment in Entertainment & Media
In film, television, music, media, live events, and sports, careers can hinge on a single producer, executive, agent, or talent. Many workers in these fields are freelancers or independent contractors, and D.C. and Maryland law extend harassment protections to many of them. Stanton Law DC represents performers, crew, staff, and creative professionals against both individual abusers and the companies that looked the other way.
Sexual Assault & Harassment in Politics & Government
Washington runs on relationships, and few environments carry steeper power imbalances than political campaigns, congressional and legislative offices, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and lobbying and consulting firms. Survivors often fear that speaking up will end their careers. Stanton Law DC understands the specialized procedures that can govern these claims, including those for congressional staff under the Congressional Accountability Act, and the discretion these cases demand.
Seeking Maximum Compensation
No amount of money can undo what happened. But full compensation can pay for treatment, replace lost income, and force those responsible to confront the true cost of their conduct. Depending on the claims, recoverable damages may include:
- Economic losses: lost wages, lost future earning capacity, and the cost of medical care, therapy, and counseling.
- Non-economic damages: emotional distress, pain and suffering, and the loss of enjoyment of life.
- Punitive damages where the conduct was especially malicious or the defendant acted with conscious disregard for your safety.
- Attorney's fees and costs under civil rights and employment statutes that shift those expenses to the defendant.
Protecting Your Privacy
Many survivors worry that coming forward means giving up their privacy. It does not have to. In appropriate cases, Stanton Law DC can ask the court to let you proceed under a pseudonym, seek protective orders over sensitive records, and negotiate confidential resolutions on terms you control.
Your Employer's Paperwork May Not Bind You
Federal law now protects survivors of workplace sexual assault and harassment. The Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act lets you choose to bring your claims in court even if you signed an arbitration agreement, and the Speak Out Act limits the enforcement of nondisclosure and non-disparagement clauses signed before a dispute arose. Do not assume an agreement you signed when you were hired keeps you from seeking justice.
How We Pursue Your Case
Confidential Consultation
We listen, at your pace, and explain your options without pressure. Nothing moves forward without your decision.
Investigation & Evidence Preservation
We move quickly to secure communications, records, and witness accounts, and to identify every responsible party.
Demand & Negotiation
We present a fully documented case for damages, negotiating from a position of strength for a resolution that reflects the harm you suffered.
Litigation & Trial
When a fair resolution is not offered, we file suit and press the case through discovery and, if necessary, to a jury verdict.
Time Limits Apply
Both D.C. and Maryland have extended the time to file certain civil claims arising from sexual abuse, but deadlines still vary by claim, by jurisdiction, and by the age of the survivor at the time of the abuse. Workplace claims can carry administrative deadlines as short as 180 or 300 days. If you are considering your options, speak with an attorney as soon as you are ready.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I sue my employer if a coworker or supervisor sexually assaulted me?
Often, yes. Employers can be liable for sexual assault and harassment by supervisors, and for assault by coworkers or clients when the employer knew or should have known of the danger and failed to act. Claims may arise under Title VII, the D.C. Human Rights Act, Maryland's Fair Employment Practices Act, and common-law negligence.
Do I need a police report or criminal charges to file a civil lawsuit?
No. A civil case is separate from any criminal prosecution. It does not require an arrest, charges, or a conviction, and it is decided under a lower burden of proof.
I signed an arbitration agreement or NDA. Can I still sue?
Possibly. The Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act lets survivors choose to bring covered claims in court despite a pre-dispute arbitration agreement, and the Speak Out Act limits enforcement of nondisclosure and non-disparagement clauses signed before a dispute arose.
Can I keep my identity private if I file a lawsuit?
In appropriate cases, courts may allow a survivor to proceed under a pseudonym and may issue protective orders over sensitive records. Many cases are also resolved through confidential settlements on terms the survivor controls.
How long do I have to file a sexual assault claim in D.C. or Maryland?
It depends on the claim, the jurisdiction, and the survivor's age at the time of the abuse. See the time-limits note above, and speak with an attorney as soon as you are ready.