Campus Sexual Abuse Lawyer in Pennsylvania & New Jersey
If you were sexually assaulted at college, at a fraternity house, or at a campus party, you may be able to file a civil lawsuit. A campus sexual abuse lawyer can help you hold the person who hurt you accountable. They can also go after a university or fraternity that ignored warning signs or failed to act.
What happened to you was not your fault. Whether it happened last week or years ago, you deserve to be heard and to understand your options. At Ethen Ostroff Law, we help survivors and families in Pennsylvania and New Jersey find answers. Every conversation is free and confidential, and talking to a Student Sexual Assault Lawyer never commits you to anything.
If you are in immediate danger, call 911. For free, confidential support 24/7, you can reach the RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800-656-HOPE (4673).
How Common Is Sexual Assault on College Campuses?
Sexual assault on campus is far more common than most families realize. The Association of American Universities surveyed more than 181,000 students at 33 schools in 2019. It found that 13% of students had experienced nonconsensual sexual contact by physical force or inability to consent since enrolling.
For undergraduate women, that number was 25.9%. It was 6.8% for undergraduate men and 22.8% for LGBTQ students.
Many survivors never make an official report. They worry about not being believed, about retaliation, or about what comes next. A civil case is one path toward accountability, and it runs separately from any criminal case or school investigation.
Who Can Be Held Responsible for Sexual Assault on Campus?
More than one person or organization may be legally responsible. In a civil lawsuit, “liable” simply means legally responsible for the harm. Depending on the facts, that can include:
- The person who committed the assault. They can be sued directly for battery and related harms, whether or not criminal charges are filed.
- The college or university. A school may be responsible if it knew about a danger and failed to respond. It may also be responsible if it mishandled your report.
- The fraternity or sorority. This can include the local chapter, the national organization, and the corporation that owns or manages the house.
- Event hosts and property owners. Off-campus landlords, party hosts, or venues may share responsibility in some situations, such as when security or supervision was clearly inadequate.
An experienced lawyer looks at every party involved, not just the most obvious one.
Suing a College or University: What Title IX Requires
You can sue a college or university for sexual assault in some cases, but the legal bar is specific. That is why it helps to talk with a University sexual assault lawyer who understands both federal and state law.
Title IX is a federal law that bans sex discrimination at schools that receive federal funding, which includes nearly every college. Sexual harassment and sexual assault can count as sex discrimination.
To win money damages from a school under Title IX, courts generally require two things. They come from two U.S. Supreme Court cases, Gebser (1998) and Davis (1999):
- Actual knowledge. An official with authority to fix the problem knew about the harassment or assault.
- Deliberate indifference. The school’s response was clearly unreasonable given what it knew.
For student-on-student harassment, the conduct must also be severe enough to block access to your education.
Title IX is not the only option. Survivors may also bring state-law claims, such as negligence or breach of contract, against a school.
The federal rules for how schools handle complaints have changed in recent years. In January 2025, a federal court threw out the 2024 Title IX regulations, and the Department of Education returned to the 2020 rules. On September 29, 2026, the Department published a final rule formally restoring the 2020 regulations.
The Clery Act and Pennsylvania’s connection. The Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act is named for Jeanne Clery, a 19-year-old Lehigh University student who was raped and murdered in her dorm room in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in 1986. The law requires colleges that participate in federal student aid programs to publish an annual security report with three years of crime statistics. Schools must also issue timely warnings about crimes that pose a serious or ongoing threat. These reports can help show what a school knew about crime on its campus.
Fraternity Sexual Assault Claims
Fraternities are not shielded from lawsuits. A Fraternity sexual assault lawyer will look at how the chapter ran its events and whether the national organization enforced its own rules. Common questions include:
- Did the chapter serve alcohol to underage guests or allow drugs at the house?
- Did leaders ignore earlier complaints about specific members?
- Did the national organization know about prior violations and fail to act?
- Who owns the house, and what security or supervision did they provide?
A recent example. On September 16, 2026, a former Cornell University student filed a civil lawsuit under the name Jane Doe. She alleges she was drugged and sexually assaulted by members of the Chi Phi fraternity at its chapter house in 2024. The suit names Cornell, fraternity organizations, and individual students, among others, with claims including negligence and breach of contract. The accused students deny wrongdoing, and the allegations have not been proven in court. The local district attorney has since reopened a criminal investigation.
Cases like this show how one incident can involve a university, a fraternity, and individuals all at once.
When Sexual Abuse Is Part of Hazing
Sometimes sexual abuse happens as part of hazing, when new members are forced into degrading or sexual acts to join a group. In those cases, a Hazing Lawsuit may include sexual assault claims as well.
Both of our states have strong anti-hazing laws named after Timothy Piazza, a Penn State student who died after a fraternity hazing event in 2017. Pennsylvania enacted its Piazza law in 2018, and New Jersey followed in 2021. At the federal level, the Stop Campus Hazing Act was signed on December 23, 2024.
If hazing was involved, a Hazing Attorney can look at both sides of the case. Read our guide to hazing lawsuits, or talk with a college hazing attorney at EOL.law about your options.
How Long Do You Have to File in Pennsylvania and New Jersey?
Deadlines for sexual abuse lawsuits depend on your age when the abuse happened and which state’s law applies. A “statute of limitations” is the legal deadline to file. Miss it, and you may lose the right to sue.
Your situation | Pennsylvania | New Jersey |
|---|---|---|
Age 18 to 23 when abused | Until your 30th birthday | 7 years from when you reasonably discovered the injury and its cause |
Age 24 or older when abused | Generally 2 years | 7 years from reasonable discovery |
Under 18 when abused | Until age 55 | Until age 55, or 7 years from reasonable discovery, whichever is later |
Pennsylvania’s longer deadlines come from a 2019 law. It did not revive claims that had already expired before the law took effect. Claims against public universities can carry extra rules, so talk to a lawyer as early as you can.
What Compensation May Be Available?
No amount of money undoes what happened. A civil case can, however, pay for the help you need and hold the responsible parties accountable. Depending on your case, you may be able to recover:
- Counseling, therapy, and medical costs, now and in the future
- Lost tuition, scholarships, or delayed graduation
- Lost income or reduced earning ability
- Pain, suffering, and emotional distress
- Punitive damages in some cases, which punish especially reckless conduct
Every case is different, and no lawyer can promise a result.
Can You Keep Your Name Private?
Privacy is one of the biggest concerns survivors raise. Courts can allow survivors to file under a pseudonym, such as “Jane Doe” or “John Doe,” in some cases. Your lawyer can ask the court for this protection and keep sensitive details out of public filings where possible.
Why Work With a Campus Sexual Abuse Lawyer at EOL.law
Universities and national fraternities have lawyers and insurance companies protecting them from day one. You should have someone protecting you, too.
As a Campus Assault attorney team, we move at your pace. We explain every step in plain language, and nothing happens without your okay. We handle cases in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. If your case happened in another state, we can connect you with a trusted partner firm.
There is no fee unless we win your case.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Does a Campus Sexual Abuse Lawyer Do?
A campus sexual abuse lawyer helps survivors file civil lawsuits against the people and institutions responsible for an assault. That includes investigating, gathering evidence, dealing with the school and insurers, meeting filing deadlines, and pursuing compensation in settlement talks or at trial.
When Should I Contact a Campus Sexual Abuse Lawyer?
As soon as you feel ready. Evidence like texts, videos, and witness memories can disappear quickly, and filing deadlines apply. Even if the assault happened years ago, a free consultation can tell you whether you still have time to file.
How Can a Lawyer Help After Sexual Assault on a College Campus?
A lawyer can protect your rights and take the legal work off your shoulders. They can advise you during a Title IX process, preserve evidence, request school records, and identify every party who may be responsible. They can also file a civil claim for damages.
Can I Sue a College or University for Sexual Assault?
Yes, in many cases. Under Title IX, a school may be liable if an official with authority knew about the harassment or assault and responded with deliberate indifference. You may also have state-law claims, such as negligence.
What Evidence Is Needed for a Campus Sexual Assault Lawsuit?
You don’t need everything at once, and a lawyer can help gather what’s missing. Helpful evidence includes texts, social media messages, and group chats. Medical or forensic exam records, police reports, and Title IX files also matter, as do witness names, photos, videos, and records of earlier complaints against the same person or group.
Can I Sue Fraternity for Sexual Assault?
Yes, depending on the facts. A survivor may be able to sue the local chapter, the national organization, the house’s owner, and the individual members involved. Claims often focus on alcohol and drug policies, supervision, and whether leaders ignored known risks.
Talk to a Campus Sexual Abuse Lawyer Today
You don’t have to figure this out alone. If you or your child was sexually assaulted at a college, fraternity, or campus event in Pennsylvania or New Jersey, call Ethen Ostroff Law at 610-510-8883 or fill out our confidential online form. Your consultation is free, and there is no fee unless we win.
Justice For All.
