Failure to Report Sex Trafficking at a Hotel Lawsuit Lawyer

Human trafficking for sexual purposes can happen anywhere, not just in third world countries and inner cities. In fact, it’s quite possible that someone is being sex trafficked in your neighborhood or at a hotel or motel that’s not far away from you. Hotels are ideal locations for sexual trafficking, especially motels where you can pay with cash and rent a room by the hour. But even upscale lodgings can serve as a place of imprisonment, torture, sexual assault, and many other abuses that can happen to victims of sex trafficking.

If you were trafficked for commercial sex purposes, you may be entitled to monetary compensation from the hotel where you were forced into one or more sex acts. The laws in California require hotels owners to provide training to their employees in order to identify the signs of sex trafficking on the premises. Furthermore, hotel owners and staff in a supervisory capacity have a legal duty to report incidents and suspicion of sexual trafficking to the police. If they fail to comply with these rules, they can be sued by the victims who were trafficked on the property.

If you would like to discuss your rights and legal options, contact our law firm immediately. A hotel sex trafficking lawyer can meet with you for a free consultation, where you can ask questions and receive advice on how to move forward form this painful chapter in your life.

Signs that Point to Sex Trafficking at a Hotel

We previously mentioned that employees at hotel must be provided training to ensure that they recognize the signs of human trafficking. Here are some clues that someone at a hotel is being sex trafficked:

• The person appears to be malnourished, sleep-deprived, have poor hygiene, or frequently injured
• They are under constant supervision or not allowed to come and go without an escort.
• The individual does not have their own money, credit / debit cards or identifying documents
• Their clothes are flashy or revealing, or age-inappropriate in the case of a minor
• They constantly approach and flirt with male guests at the hotel, or hang around at the hotel bar or restaurant during the same hours.
• There is a card swiper and multiple electronic devices in the room, like multiple cell phones and laptops.
• There is a frequent request for room service, but staff are always asked to leave the order outside the door
• The individual is caught stealing food or money off table, and maybe even rummaging around in trash cans.
• In spite of having been at the hotel for a long time, there are little to no personal belongings in the room.

Of course, just one of these factors does not necessarily indicate the presence of sexual trafficking. But when multiple factors at work, there’s a good chance that someone is being exploited and abused. Not contacting the authorities when there are red flags of sex trafficking on the property is against the law. As a victim, you can seek restitution in the form of monetary damages, which we can discuss with you during a free case evaluation.

Your Right to Sue the Hotel or Motel

Even if the the hotel is not a direct participant in sex trafficking, they have a duty of care to guests and visitors, including the obligation to report allegations and indicators of human trafficking. This is why training on how to spot the signs of sexual trafficking is required for all employees. And those in a supervisory capacity must call the police and cooperate in their investigation.

A hotel’s failure to report sex trafficking is punishable by fines and other legal actions in the state of California. It’s important to explore these options with a sex trafficking lawsuit attorney as soon as possible. Our legal team will guide you through the legal system step by step and fight to bring you every penny you deserve from a lawsuit against the hotel.

Time Limit to Sue Hotels and Motels for Sex Trafficking

Those who are interested in filing a civil claim for hotel failure to report sex trafficking have to file their lawsuit by the following deadlines:

• For those who were trafficked as adults, 7 years from the date of being freed from sex trafficking
• For minors, 10 years from when they are freed from the trafficking situation or within 10 years of when they realized, or reasonably should have discovered an injury caused by human trafficking.

These terms are established under California Civil Code Section 52.5 (c), which holds owners of hotels, motels, and resorts liable for not identifying and reporting sexual trafficking to the authorities. While the statute of limitations for adult victims is easy to understand, the deadline to sue as an underage victim is not so simple. Many people that contact us have questions about the discovery rule, which gives you 10 years to file a lawsuit from when you realize a physical or emotional injury resulting from sex trafficking.

Generally, the clients that we represent have injuries in the form of mental health disorders that are caused by the trauma of being kidnapped, starved, beaten, sexually assaulted, etc. These are examples of injuries due to sexual trafficking, even though they may not visible. Proving that there was a delayed discovery of injuries will allow you to file a lawsuit, even if the statute of limitations has already expired on your case.

As you can see, how long you have to sue a hotel for sex trafficking is a complex issue. That’s why we urge you to contact our law firm and verify the amount of time you have for a hotel failing to report sex trafficking lawsuit.

Contact Our Law Firm

The scars of sexual trafficking cannot be erased, nor can you go back in time to undo the past. However, working through trauma and living a happy and fulfilling life is possible, and filing a lawsuit may be a part of that journey.

The sex trafficking lawyers of Kenmore Law Group are here for you day and night if you have questions about your rights a human trafficking victim. We provide all clients with the Zero Fee Guarantee, so you will be never be asked to pay out of pocket. All legal fees are recovered once you receive your settlement check, so we only get paid by winning your case.

To schedule a free, confidential case review, please give us a call as soon as possible.