Pennsylvania · Institutional Abuse Claims
You don't have to carry this alone.
If you were sexually abused as a young person in a Pennsylvania school, youth facility, juvenile detention center, hospital, or religious institution, you may be able to hold the institution accountable — on your terms, at your pace.
Start a private, no-cost reviewWhere this applies
Abuse in these settings may qualify
If a staff member or employee of one of these Pennsylvania institutions abused you, the institution — not just the individual — may be legally responsible. A Pennsylvania sexual abuse lawyer can review whether your situation qualifies, at no cost to you.
- State & county juvenile justice facilities (Loysville, North Central, South Mountain, Cresson, Delaware County, Philadelphia Juvenile Justice Services Center, and others)
- Private youth residential & treatment facilities (Northwestern Academy, George Junior Republic, Abraxas, Summit Academy, Wordsworth Academy, St. Gabriel's Hall, Carson Valley, Western PA Childcare)
- Public or private K-12 schools, colleges, and universities
- Office of Children, Youth & Families / Department of Human Services
- Athletic clubs and youth sports organizations
- Public or private hospitals
- Religious institutions
What happens next
A slow, private process — never a rushed one
- Step 1
A few private questions
A short, confidential form — nothing you share leaves our legal team.
- Step 2
Attorney review
A Pennsylvania attorney personally reviews your situation, at no cost to you.
- Step 3
Your decision
If you have a claim, you decide — with no pressure — whether and when to move forward.
Confidential eligibility review
Let's see if we can help
This takes about two minutes. You can stop at any time — nothing is submitted until the final step, and you're never asked for more detail than we need. Most confidential reviews begin the same day, during business hours.
A couple of quick basics
This just helps us confirm you're in the right place before anything else.
Why this is opening up now
Pennsylvania is in the middle of changing this law
You may be seeing more attention on this issue because Pennsylvania lawmakers have spent the past year debating a "lookback window" — and survivors and advocates have been pushing hard to get it passed.
Two bills, House Bill 462 and House Bill 464, would each create a temporary two-year period allowing survivors to file civil claims that are currently time-barred — regardless of how long ago the abuse happened. HB 462 would do this through an ordinary change to state law; HB 464 would do it through a constitutional amendment, which takes longer and would eventually need voter approval.
Both bills passed the PA House with bipartisan support back in June 2025. Since then, they've stalled in the Senate more than once, with no floor vote yet scheduled. More than twenty states have already passed some version of this kind of window; Pennsylvania has not — yet.
Here's the important part: you don't have to wait for it to pass. Under Pennsylvania's current law, survivors already have the right to sue until age 55, which is why we ask about your age early in the review. If the lookback window does pass while your case is open, it can only expand your options — never take anything away.
Common questions
Before you start
Does it cost anything to find out if I have a case?
No. The review is free, and if an attorney takes your case, they're paid only if you recover compensation.
Is there still time to file, even if this happened years ago?
Pennsylvania currently allows survivors of childhood sexual abuse to file civil claims up until age 55. Lawmakers are also considering a temporary "lookback window" that could open claims for survivors outside that window — we can tell you where that stands today.
What if I don't remember exact dates or the person's full name?
That's normal, and expected. An approximate age or year, and a nickname, role, or physical description, is often enough for an attorney to begin looking into your situation.
Will anyone else find out I submitted this?
No. This form goes only to our legal intake team. Nothing is filed, published, or shared until you decide to move forward with an attorney.
What exactly is the "lookback window" I've heard about?
It's proposed legislation (House Bills 462 and 464) that would temporarily let survivors sue over abuse that happened even longer ago than current law allows. It passed the PA House in 2025 but hasn't cleared the Senate. It is not law yet — but you may already qualify to file under the rules that exist today, which is what this review checks.
What happens to the institution if I come forward?
A civil claim can require the institution to turn over records, answer questions under oath, and pay compensation if they're found responsible for enabling or concealing the abuse. Many of these cases have also led to policy changes that protect kids in that institution today.
I'm not sure I want to go to court. Do I have to?
No. Most cases like this settle privately and never involve testifying in open court. You decide at every stage whether to continue, and you can stop at any point before you sign anything.
Can I do this without my family finding out?
Yes. We only contact you, using whatever phone, email, or timing you tell us works safely. Many survivors keep this entirely private from family throughout the process.
What if I only remember part of what happened?
That's common, and it doesn't disqualify you. Memory affected by trauma, especially from childhood, rarely comes back in a clean, linear way. An attorney can work with partial memories and help you figure out what corroborating information might exist.