Child sexual harassment cases in which a child is the victim of an adult perpetrator, unfortunately, are becoming almost a cliché on TV crime shows and even in the news. But have you ever heard of a kid being sexually harassed by another kid?
In Claireborne County, Tennessee, Jacob Daniels, 13, is a middle school student who now faces 5 separate counts of sexual harassment and 5 additional counts of general assault. The alleged victims are 5 girls from his classes. The boy’s parents have pled not guilty on his behalf. Since the charges were filed, Jacob has been banned from school and put under house arrest. He and his family have spoken to the press.
Local news stations reported that Jacob typically spends his afternoons on the couch, watching television shows. His parents believe that the way their son’s sexual harassment case is being handled is unlawful. James Daniels, Jacob’s father, said that his son is being considered guilty before any sound evidence has been presented to condemn him.
Jacob denies ever sexually harassing any of his female classmates. He said that he believes there is no evidence for the charges made against him. Jacobs is an eighth-grader at Soldiers Memorial School. Before the charges were filed by the five girls, the middle school had organized a school wide lecture about sexual harassment. A week before the lecture, Jacobs had broken up with his girlfriend. A week after the lecture, the ex-girlfriend and 4 additional female classmates had filed lawsuits.
Jacob’s mother, Nellie Daniels, said that the girls are acting as children do and seeking out revenge against her son. She said that although the incident will give the girls a good foundation to know how to act if they are ever violated, she does not believe that her son is guilty of any wrongdoing. Jacob’s mother said that it was important that the girls realize the consequences of lying about what happened to them.
Both of Jacob’s parents have stood behind their son’s alleged innocence. They already rejected a plea bargain offered by the prosecution for 1 year’s probation in exchange for dropping all the major charges. They are, however, concerned that waiting at home for Jacob’s trial in June will result in him falling behind academically, especially because Jacob has been denied alternative schooling. He won’t be able to overturn the judge’s decision and attend any classes until a subsequent hearing later this month.
If you have a child who needs help with sexual harassment at school, then contact a sexual harassment lawyer in Irvine. Sexual harassment at school is more common than you might think, if only for the reason that kids don’t know a lot about it and don’t know what to do when it happens. Consulting with a sexual harassment lawyer in Irvine can help you and your whole family to learn more about what is okay and what isn’t okay in an academic setting. Going forward, talking to a sexual harassment lawyer in Irvine can have lasting benefits for your children as they grow up. Don’t let your sensitive child sexual harassment case move forward any further without the help of a knowledgeable and understanding sexual harassment lawyer in Irvine.