Sexual Abuse & Trafficking Victims
Survivors of trafficking have the right to pursue justice—not only against perpetrators but also against businesses and property owners that enabled or profited from exploitation.
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Sex Abuse & Trafficking Lawsuits
At Sullivan Papain, we stand with survivors of sex abuse and human trafficking.
Sex trafficking is a pervasive issue throughout New York, affecting urban, suburban, and rural communities alike. Victims are often recruited or coerced online, then exploited in hotels, private residences, short-term rentals, and other properties across regions, including high-traffic areas like Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx, Hempstead, Garden City, Uniondale, Freeport, and beyond.
Survivors of trafficking have the right to pursue justice—not only against perpetrators but also against businesses and property owners that enabled or profited from exploitation.
Understanding Civil Liability in Sex Trafficking Cases
Under New York State law and the federal Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA), survivors of sex trafficking may file civil lawsuits against individuals and entities that:
- Knowingly facilitated or profited from trafficking
- Turned a blind eye to clear signs of exploitation on their property or platform
- Failed to implement reasonable safety policies or reporting protocols
Those potentially liable include:
- Hotels, motels, and inns that repeatedly rented rooms to traffickers or failed to respond to suspicious activity
- Property owners and landlords who ignored illegal use of their premises
- Online platforms used to advertise victims for commercial sex acts
- Security companies or staff who failed to intervene or report obvious signs of trafficking
- Transportation services and financial institutions that supported trafficking operations or transactions
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How Trafficking Often Occurs in New York
Trafficking often occurs:
- Victims being recruited through social media, job ads, or fraudulent romantic relationships
- Exploitation taking place in reputable hotels, short-term rentals, or residences in residential neighborhoods
- Traffickers frequently moving victims between locations to avoid detection
- Trafficking operations that are interstate in nature, with victims being brought into New York from other states or countries
Many of these crimes happen in high-traffic suburban areas where businesses fail to detect or report red flags—despite having training programs, surveillance tools, and legal obligations to do so.
What Survivors Can Recover
Survivors of trafficking may seek:
- Medical and psychological treatment costs
- Compensation for pain, suffering, and emotional trauma
- Lost wages or loss of future income
- Punitive damages where negligence or willful disregard can be proven
- Attorney’s fees and litigation expenses
When third-party defendants like hotel chains or web platforms are involved, compensation can be significant—particularly when systemic failure or profit from exploitation is shown.
$7 Million
Sullivan Papain is proud to announce that Associate Joseph Rozovsky secured a $7 million settlement on behalf of a client who sustained severe and life-altering injuries in a motor vehicle accident. The case, which was resolved during the discovery phase, involved significant evidence establishing the defendants’ negligence in causing the collision. As a result of…
$3.87 Million
A man was rear-ended while stopped to turn into his driveway sustaining neck injuries which aggravated a spine condition from which he was suffering. He underwent surgery to correct the spinal issue during which he sustained damage to one of his vertebral arteries which went undiagnosed. He never regained consciousness and suffered a massive stroke…
$1.25 Million
Sullivan Papain is proud to announce a $1,250,000 settlement obtained by attorney Mark Apostolos on behalf of a motorcyclist who suffered significant injuries due to a hazardous roadway condition on a New Jersey State highway. The case, which was scheduled for trial, resolved just days before jury selection was set to begin. The client…
Attorney Advertising: Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
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Sullivan Papain specializes in all areas of personal injury. Within each department, we have dedicated litigation support teams. Our specialized departments diligently and vigorously represent clients who have been injured in automobile accidents, who were struck as pedestrians, who have been the victims of medical malpractice, and those who have been injured by defective products.
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We have years of experience, extensive resources, and committed attorneys to put to use toward your case. Call (212) 732-9000 anytime to request your free case review in New York City.