Cadets Sexual Abuse Claims
It was a BBC Panorama documentary that aired in 2017 that brought Army cadets abuse to light across the nation, exposing the abuse that happened over many years.
The Guardian reported in 2014 that in the previous three years the Ministry of Defence paid out more than £2 million in out-of-court settlements due to claims of sexual abuse against young people.
If you have suffered abuse as an Army cadet then we are here to help. At TDP Solicitors we offer a safe environment that is ready to listen where you feel comfortable. Our confidential meetings can let us determine the amount of cadet abuse compensation that you should receive as a result of the abuse that you suffered.
What are the Cadets?
The Ministry of Defence is responsible for the Cadets which are made up of the Air Cadets, Sea Cadets and Army Cadets.
The youth organisations were designed to help keep children off the streets, and teach them a number of skills like navigations, training, skill at arms and more.
Abuse in the Cadets
Abuse in the cadets is thought to have been taking place over the last 40 years, and whilst there are many different safeguarding policies in place now, that hasn’t always been the case. The sense of camaraderie and discipline that is promoted by the Cadets has been exploited by the people in charge, and has seen numerous children suffer abuse as a result.
How can we help?
Here at TDP Solicitors we have cadet abuse compensation specialists who are here to help if you were abused in the Cadets. Discussing your abuse can seem daunting and terrifying, but we’re here to listen and discuss the options available to you and whether you want to move forward with a claim.
Our team is dedicated to getting you the compensation that you deserve for what has happened to you. Get in touch with us today for a confidential discussion to find out how we can best help you, and advise you on who best to make your claim of compensation against.
Who to make the claim against
Once we’ve met and you’ve decided if you’d like to move forward with a cadet abuse compensation claim for the abuse you suffered whilst part of the Cadets, we will make a decision on who best to make the claim against. You will have two options, you can either make the abuse compensation claim against the individual who carried out the abuse or the Ministry of Defence who are the organisation responsible for the Cadets.
Your solicitor will investigate whether the individual who carried out the abuse has the assets to pay you compensation before a claim is brought. If they don’t then the best option might be to claim against the Ministry of Defence.
Here we will have to prove that the abuser took advantage of their position of power whilst working for the cadets to carry out the abuse. It might also be possible to prove negligence on behalf of the Ministry of Defence, which means that you suffered abuse due to their failing of duty of care to you.
Time limits for abuse claims
There are rules that state that these types of claims must be brought before your 21st birthday, however, the court has the ability to dismiss this and a cadet abuse claim can be brought later in life. If you are unsure as to whether it is possible for you to make a claim then please let us discuss this with you and see if you are still eligible to make a cadet abuse compensation claim.