Sexual Assault Statistics: Los Angeles County and California by the Numbers
Data contextualizes a crisis that is too often minimized or ignored. The following statistics — drawn from federal agencies and nationally recognized research organizations — illustrate the full scope of sexual violence affecting Los Angeles County and California:
According to the CDC, 1 in 5 women and 1 in 71 men in the United States have been raped in their lifetime. Applied to Los Angeles County’s population of more than 10 million, these figures represent hundreds of thousands of survivors living in our region — the vast majority of whom have never reported what happened to them or been told that California law provides them a path to civil justice.
Source: Compass Law Group | Los Angeles Sexual Assault Statistics
According to RAINN, an estimated 63% of sexual assaults are never reported to police. That means for every sexual assault that appears in LAPD or LA County Sheriff crime statistics, roughly two additional incidents occurred but went entirely unrecorded. Of those assaults that are reported, only 25 out of every 1,000 perpetrators will ever serve prison time, according to RAINN’s analysis of Department of Justice data — one of the most compelling reasons why civil litigation remains a critical pathway to accountability.
Within California specifically, the California Department of Justice documented more than 15,000 sexual assault offenses statewide in a single recent reporting year — one of the highest raw totals in the nation, reflecting both California’s population size and the persistence of this crisis across every county and community. The City of Los Angeles alone recorded approximately 1,900 reported rape offenses in 2023 according to LAPD CompStat data, a figure that covers only LAPD’s jurisdiction and excludes the Sheriff’s Department and independent city agencies that collectively serve millions more county residents.
Among child survivors specifically, the CDC reports that 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 13 boys in the United States experience sexual abuse before the age of 18. It is precisely this population — survivors who were too young to understand their legal rights, whose disclosures were ignored, or who were silenced by fear — that AB 218’s elimination of the statute of limitations was designed to protect. There is no age at which a childhood survivor in California is too old to pursue civil justice.
How Does Compass Law Group Help Sexual Abuse Survivors in Los Angeles?
Compass Law Group, LLP was founded on the belief that every survivor deserves access to skilled, compassionate, and financially accessible legal representation — regardless of their financial situation or whether they have ever spoken publicly about what happened to them. With headquarters in Beverly Hills and additional offices serving Long Beach, San Francisco, Sacramento, Oakland, Bell Gardens, and communities throughout the state, Compass Law Group provides statewide representation to survivors of sexual abuse, assault, and institutional misconduct. We have recovered over $250 million for our clients — not through settlement pressure and volume, but through thorough investigation, aggressive litigation where necessary, and a genuine, survivor-centered commitment to each individual client’s outcome.
Our founding partners, Joseph Shirazi (California Bar #265403) and Simon Esfandi (California Bar #275307), have built a practice spanning serious personal injury and civil rights claims — from complex institutional sexual abuse litigation to pedestrian accidents and catastrophic injury cases. Our full areas of practice reflect a firm that understands both the breadth of harm individuals suffer and the full scope of legal tools available to address it. For sexual abuse survivors specifically, our Beverly Hills sexual abuse attorneys bring deep expertise in AB 218 and AB 2777 claims, institutional liability theory, government entity notice requirements, and the particular challenges of trauma-informed representation — meaning you are treated with dignity and respect at every step, not just as a case number.
We know that reaching out to a law firm is one of the most difficult steps a survivor can take. That is why every consultation at Compass Law Group is completely free, fully confidential, and available to survivors who wish to remain entirely anonymous. You do not need to have filed a police report. You do not need to have told anyone else what happened. You do not need to have any documentation in hand. You simply need to call us at (213) 320-1001 or reach out online — and our team will listen without judgment, provide honest guidance about your legal options, and never pressure you to take any step before you are ready.
Q: How many sexual assaults are reported in Los Angeles County each year?
Los Angeles County documents thousands of sexual assault offenses annually across multiple law enforcement agencies, including LAPD, the LA County Sheriff’s Department, and more than 40 independent city police agencies. LAPD alone recorded approximately 1,900 rape offenses in 2023. However, RAINN estimates that 63% of sexual assaults are never reported to police — meaning official statistics represent only a fraction of the actual number of incidents that occur each year. Survivors do not need to have reported to law enforcement to pursue a civil lawsuit under California’s AB 218 or AB 2777.
Q: Is there a statute of limitations for sexual assault civil lawsuits in California?
California eliminated the statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse under AB 218 (CCP §340.1) — survivors abused before age 18 face no deadline to file a civil lawsuit, at any age. For adult survivors, AB 2777 (CCP §340.16) created a revival window to file civil claims even for older incidents — but this window closes permanently on December 31, 2026. When a defendant is a government entity such as a public school district or county agency, a six-month Government Claims Act notice deadline also applies. A Compass Law Group attorney can review your specific situation at no cost to identify exactly which laws and deadlines govern your case.
Q: Can a school, church, or employer be sued for sexual assault committed by an employee in California?
Yes. California law holds institutions liable for sexual abuse by employees or agents under the doctrines of negligent hiring, negligent retention, and negligent supervision. If a school district, religious organization, healthcare facility, foster care agency, or employer knew — or reasonably should have known — that an employee or agent posed a risk and failed to act, that institution can be named as a civil defendant alongside the individual abuser. Institutional defendants typically carry insurance coverage and hold far greater financial resources than individual perpetrators, making institutional liability claims a critical element of many California sexual abuse cases.
Q: What damages can a sexual assault survivor recover in a California civil lawsuit?
Under California Civil Code §52.4 and California tort law, sexual assault survivors may recover: past and future medical and therapy costs, lost wages, reduced earning capacity, physical and emotional pain and suffering, PTSD and emotional distress damages, and loss of enjoyment of life. When the defendant institution engaged in deliberate concealment, cover-up of prior abuse, or willful protection of a known predator, California courts may also award substantial punitive damages. The total value of a sexual abuse civil claim depends on the severity and duration of the abuse, the number of defendants, and the strength of institutional liability evidence. Compass Law Group evaluates each client’s full damages picture during a free consultation.
Q: Do I need a police report to file a sexual assault civil lawsuit in Los Angeles?
No. A civil sexual abuse lawsuit in California is entirely independent of any criminal investigation or prosecution. There is no requirement that you reported the assault to police, that criminal charges were filed, or that any conviction was obtained. The civil standard of proof — “preponderance of the evidence,” meaning more likely than not — is significantly lower than the criminal “beyond a reasonable doubt” standard. Many survivors in Los Angeles County successfully receive civil compensation even when no criminal case was ever pursued. Compass Law Group offers free, fully confidential consultations, and survivors may remain completely anonymous throughout the civil legal process.
References
- California Code of Civil Procedure §340.1 (AB 218) — Sexual Abuse Statute of Limitations
- RAINN — Sexual Violence Statistics
- California Code of Civil Procedure §340.16 (AB 2777) — Adult Survivor Civil Claims Revival Window
California Sexual Abuse Lawsuit — Key Statistics
Steps to Take After Pursuing a Civil Lawsuit After Sexual Assault
Beginning the civil legal process after sexual assault can feel overwhelming — but understanding the path ahead can help survivors feel more prepared and in control. The following steps outline what California survivors can do to protect their rights and build the strongest possible case, with the support of a trauma-informed legal team handling every procedural burden.
- Preserve all available evidence immediately. Photograph any visible physical injuries; save all digital communications from or about the perpetrator — texts, emails, voicemails, and social media messages; retain copies of any medical records, incident report numbers, or documentation from the night of the assault. Written personal accounts created close in time to the abuse — including private journal entries — can serve as important contemporaneous evidence in civil proceedings.
- Seek medical and mental health care as soon as possible. A SANE (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner) examination — available free of charge through California hospitals and sexual assault response centers — preserves forensic evidence even if you have not yet decided whether to report to law enforcement. Beginning trauma-informed therapy not only supports your healing process but also creates a contemporaneous documented record of psychological harm that is directly relevant to your non-economic damage claim.
- Report to law enforcement if and when you choose to do so. Filing a police report is entirely your decision and is never required to pursue a civil lawsuit in California. However, a police report creates an official record, may unlock access to California Victim Compensation Board funds to cover immediate medical and counseling expenses, and can support your civil case. A victim advocate or Compass Law Group attorney can accompany you through the reporting process if you wish.
- Contact a California sexual abuse attorney for a free, confidential consultation immediately. California’s AB 218 and AB 2777 establish very different timelines depending on your age at the time of the abuse and whether any defendant is a government entity. If a government entity is involved, the six-month Government Claims Act notice deadline requires urgent action. An attorney can identify which laws apply to your specific situation and take protective steps before any rights are permanently lost.
- Allow your legal team to investigate all responsible parties. Your attorney will conduct a comprehensive pre-litigation investigation — subpoenaing internal personnel files, prior written complaints, training records, background check documentation, and internal communications that survivors could never access independently. This investigation routinely reveals institutional defendants whose negligence enabled the abuse and who hold far greater financial resources than the individual perpetrator.
- Engage in the litigation process with full legal support. Your attorney will draft and file the civil complaint, manage all communications with opposing counsel, conduct depositions, and navigate discovery. Many California sexual abuse civil cases resolve through confidential settlement agreements without requiring a survivor to testify publicly at trial. If privacy is a priority, case filings can often be sealed by court order.
- Focus on your healing as the legal process proceeds. A trauma-informed legal team manages every procedural aspect of the case so that you can concentrate on your recovery. You will be kept fully informed at every stage, you will never be pressured to accept a settlement that fails to adequately compensate your harm, and our absolute no win, no fee commitment means you pay nothing — ever — unless we recover compensation for you.
Source: Compass Law Group | Los Angeles Sexual Assault Statistics
