Call Us Now
e-Mail Us Now
Who Is James Zook?
An arrest of an alleged serial predator, James Zook of Lancaster leads to 329 counts of institutional sexual assault, 333 counts of indecent assault, and one count of disorderly conduct. Zook is being charged with assaulting 10 victims during his time as a caretaker at a personal care facility, Faith Friendship Villa over the span of 17 years. In what we know about serial predators, it is highly unlikely that there are only 10 victims. Sexual abuse of the elderly is one of the most pervasive, underreported, and least detected of all sexual abuse cases. Preying upon the elderly who are vulnerable and reliant financially, emotionally, and many times physically is a horrific form of sexual abuse that happens in silence all too often.
Many elderly lack the verbal or cognitive ability to articulate the sexual abuse they are suffering, and others live in fear of reporting because of threats and dependency. Many skilled perpetrators will manipulate their victims into silence by threatening to withhold medication, services such as bathing and bathroom access, or an outright denial of care altogether. Even when abuse is suspected by family members, they fear reporting for fear their loved one will be removed from the care facility and left with no other options. This vulnerable population is at a unique risk for sexual abuse and exploitation.
How Can A Civil Lawsuit Help Victims Seek Justice For The Trauma They Experienced At The Hands of James Zook?
There are many misunderstandings about why a survivor of sexual abuse would choose to file a civil lawsuit. Sexual abuse takes away so much from the survivors and families impacted and, in our society, we are still struggling to find ways to repair the harm that has been done not only by individual perpetrators but also by organizations and institutions who have covered up child sexual abuse. Due to outdated statutes of limitations across our country, far too many survivors have been denied access to our courts for criminal or civil justice.
The filing of a civil case can be an important step for survivors and their families in their journey to slowly rebuild their lives and create pathways to healing. Motivation for filing a civil suit is often questioned and unfairly stereotyped as being “all about money. The concept of filing a civil lawsuit casts survivors as “money hungry” and is weaponized to shame and blame them even more. This couldn’t be further from the truth for survivors of child sexual abuse, the civil justice system offers victims more than just monetary benefits. It gives survivors access to justice, validation, exposure, confrontation, and ultimately some resolution that can allow the survivor of sexual abuse to fully understand and process what happened to them so they can begin to create a new path forward without confusion, questions, and fear.
Can I pursue a case against James Zook or Faith Friendship Villa?
Andreozzi + Foote has unique experience in handling these types of cases and stands ready to assist any survivor and family in holding facilities accountable that allow this abuse to occur. Today with a full understanding of how prevalent this type of abuse is in personal care facilities; it is unconscionable that facilities would not have multiple safeguards in place to ensure the safety and protection of one of our most vulnerable populations.
If you think your loved one is being harmed in their care facility or are a family member of a loved one who is or has spent time at Faith Friendship Villa, please know you are not alone and you have legal recourse and options. Please call Andreozzi + Foote today for a free consultation at 866-311-8640.
