Hi - I’m Marc. I am a lawyer licensed to practice law in Texas. Our attorneys fight every day for the rights of sexual abuse victims. My team and I are ready to help.
The trauma of experiencing sexual assault or child sexual abuse creates scars that may never heal. If you or someone you loved is in this tragic position, you may be wondering:
Our Texas sexual abuse victims' lawyers understand the pain your family is going through. Contact our legal team today for a free case evaluation. We want to help.
Are you struggling to recover after you or a loved one became the victim of sexual violence? Many survivors may wonder what type of punishment their assaulter or abuser may face.
We’ve summarized the sexual assault and child sexual abuse laws in Texas below as a reference for victims and their families. But remember that these laws frequently change and that you may need to speak with an experienced Texas victims’ rights lawyer for more information on what to expect from the criminal justice system.
You should also be aware that the criminal court system primarily handles the prosecution of offenders, with little focus on support for victims. Many survivors end up turning to civil lawsuits in order to hold offenders and negligent third parties accountable when criminal courts fail. This is also often the only way to get financial support for damages related to your recovery, including:
From Dallas and Houston to Austin and El Paso, our Texas sexual abuse victims' lawyers can help you understand what to expect from criminal courts and help you pursue justice through a civil sexual abuse lawsuit.
Texas has three laws which are specifically used to prosecute sexual predators who have victimized children. In some cases, the state’s general sexual assault statutes may also be applied to crimes involving child victims.
A person is guilty of continuous sexual abuse of a young child or children if he or she:
This first-degree felony is punishable by a maximum sentence of life in prison and a maximum fine of $10,000.
A person is guilty of indecency with a child if they engage in any of the following conduct with a child 17 years of age or younger:
This crime can be charged as a second-degree felony if sexual contact is involved and the offender is at least three years older than the victim and is punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $10,000.
If the exposure of private parts is involved, the crime is a third-degree felony punishable by a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $10,000.
In Texas, it’s illegal for any employee of a public or private primary or secondary school to engage in sexual contact, sexual intercourse, or deviate sexual intercourse with a student enrolled at the same school.
This crime is a second-degree felony.
Texas prosecutes a wide range of sexual offenses under the state’s sexual assault statutes:
Texas prosecutes rape and other crimes of sexual violence under the state’s sexual assault statuteA. A person is guilty of sexual assault if he or she:
If the sexual assault is committed against a person the offender is prohibited from marrying (such as a family member), the charge will be first-degree – punishable by a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $10,000.
A sexual assault charge will be upgraded to the first-degree felony of aggravated sexual assault if any of the offenses listed above were committed under any of the following circumstances:
This first-degree felony is punishable by a maximum sentence of life in prison and a fine up to $10,000.