Sex Abuse Survivors Settlement – $4.8M Orange County Schools
Sex abuse survivors settlement. Two Southern California school districts have reached a combined $4.8 million settlement for sexual abuse by a former coach. The two school districts include the Irvine Unified School District and the Anaheim Union High School District. The lawsuits come after alleged sexual assaults of more than a dozen female water polo players.
For assistance with legal action to obtain compensation after sexual abuse has happened, please call our California child sexual abuse attorney today at Beck Law P.C.
Former Water Polo Coach Convicted
The former water polo coach previously worked for both school districts over a period of years. Bahram Hojreh was convicted on criminal charges, which resulted in more than an 18-year prison sentence. By his own estimates, Mr. Hojreh had a long coaching career. He said that over his career as a water polo coach, he has trained more than 100 All-Americans and more than 40 members who went to the national team and led at least ten teams that went to the national championships.
Previous Sex Abuse Survivors Settlement with USA Water Polo and International Water Polo
Twelve former students of Mr. Hojreh previously reached a sex abuse survivors settlement with the USA Water Polo Organization after Hojreh was criminally convicted. That settlement was for $13.85 million and included a dozen former students who were victims of child sexual abuse at the hands of Hojreh. The prior settlement was due to the fact that the young women were sexually assaulted because the coach was not properly vetted or supervised, and nothing was done to prevent the situation. Some of the allegations include improper touching and sexual acts.
Hojreh Worked As a High School Water Polo Coach
The latest settlement is with the two local school districts. Mr. Hojreh worked as a water polo coach in various capacities for a number of years. The victims testified that Hojreh had a history of controlling behavior and had temper outbursts. There were numerous complaints from parents and students of improper behavior and other allegations. The victims claimed that the school districts were responsible for the sexual assaults because they knew about the allegations yet did nothing to prevent the situation from recurring.
Sex Abuse Survivors Settlement and Inadequate Supervision of Coaches
The sex abuse survivor settlement victims in this case allege that the coach was inadequately supervised. The school district hired the coach multiple times as a walk-on, even though there had been previous allegations of wrongdoing. They say that the school districts did not have proper methods in place to evaluate coaches, such as performing background checks prior to hiring. The school districts should not have allowed the coach to work with students without adequately vetting him.
Further, the allegations made by students and parents may not have been properly investigated. These negligent actions allowed the coach to continue grooming and sexually assaulting additional young women involved in the water polo program. Schools and other organizations must take care to ensure the safety of students at all times. If they receive allegations, they must report them to authorities.
Child sexual abuse can have a long-term negative impact on a person long into adulthood. If you are a victim of child sexual abuse, we can help. Call us today at Beck Law at (707) 576-7175 for a confidential consultation with a California child sexual assault lawyer.
