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Standing with Portland survivors of sexual abuse
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Portland Office: 6500 S Macadam Ave Suite 380, Portland, OR 97239
Open 24/7 by phone · (971) 803-4962
Confidential legal representation for adult and child survivors of sexual abuse in Portland and across Oregon. We hold abusers and the institutions that protected them accountable. As of June 26, 2025, Oregon eliminated the civil time limit on adult sexual assault claims arising on or after that date (ORS 12.118, as amended by HB 3582). Child sexual abuse claims continue under ORS 12.117’s discovery rule.
We hear you. We believe you. Your story stays confidential.
Free, confidential consultation. Available 24/7. Pay nothing unless we win
Get a Confidential Consultation Call (971) 803-4962You Are Not Alone, and You Are Not Without Options
Sexual abuse is rarely an isolated act. It almost always happens because an institution failed: a church that moved a priest, a Boy Scout troop that ignored a leader’s history, a school that did not act on a report, a YMCA that kept a youth counselor on staff after a complaint, a hospital that approved a doctor without screening, a foster-care system that placed children with an abuser, a ridesharing platform that kept activating a driver with prior complaints.
At Goldberg & Loren, our Portland sexual abuse attorneys represent survivors across every category of abuse and every category of accountable party.
Whether the abuse happened last month or 40 years ago, whether the abuser was a stranger or a person in authority, whether you are pursuing an individual or a billion-dollar institution, our role is the same: do the legal work so you can focus on healing.
If you are still weighing whether to talk to a lawyer at all, our guide on how survivors choose a sexual abuse lawyer walks through what to look for, what to ask, and what to expect from the first call.
NEW OREGON LAWHB 3582: No Time Limit on Adult Sexual Assault Claims (Effective June 26, 2025)
Oregon’s legislature amended ORS 12.118 and ORS 12.117 in 2025. For adult sexual assault civil claims arising on or after June 26, 2025, there is no statute of limitations. The bill also removed a prior requirement that institutions had to “knowingly” allow abuse, making it easier to hold churches, schools, hospitals, and other institutions accountable for negligent supervision.
For abuse that occurred before June 26, 2025, the prior rules still apply: 5-year discovery rule for adults under the old ORS 12.118; ORS 12.117’s discovery rule for childhood abuse (file before age 40, or within 5 years of discovering the causal connection, whichever is longer). The amendments are not retroactive. A free consultation will tell you which rule controls your case.
Read our full guide to Oregon HB 3582 →
Goldberg & Loren Fights for Maximum Compensation
Pay Nothing, Unless We Win
Who Can Be Held Responsible?
Most survivors think only about the individual who hurt them. Civil law allows you to pursue the abuser and every institution whose negligence or cover-up enabled the abuse. The deeper pocket is almost always the institution, which is also where the records, prior complaints, and pattern evidence live.
Categories of Accountable Parties
Civil liability extends to anyone in a position of trust or authority who used that position to abuse, and to the institution that placed them there. Some of the most common defendants in Oregon survivor cases:
- Pastors & Priests
- Sports Coaches
- Teachers & Principals
- Rabbis & Imams
- Youth & Scout Leaders
- YMCA & Youth Org Staff
- Girl Scout Leaders
- Boys & Girls Club Staff
- Big Brothers/Sisters Mentors
- Gymnastics & Dance Coaches
- Swim & Cheer Coaches
- 4-H & After-School Staff
- Youth Pastors
- Camp Counselors
- Doctors & Nurses
- Dentists & Therapists
- Foster Parents & Guardians
- Adoptive Parents
- Daycares & Babysitters
- School Counselors
- Special-Ed Providers
- Tutors & Mentors
- Social Workers
- Caseworkers
- Police & Probation Officers
- Juvenile Detention Staff
- Corrections Officers
- Psychiatric Hospital Staff
- Disability Care Providers
- Homecare Workers
- Personal Care Attendants
- Personal Support Workers
- Bus Drivers
- Rideshare Drivers (Uber/Lyft)
- Boarding-School Staff
- Group-Home Volunteers
Behind almost every name on that list is an institution that hired, trained, supervised, or kept the person in a role with access to vulnerable people.
Oregon courts allow survivors to pursue the institution for negligent hiring, negligent supervision, failure to act on prior complaints, and active cover-up. That is where most of the recovery comes from.
Practice Areas We Cover in Portland and Across Oregon
Each category below has its own specific law, defendants, and recovery pathways. The intake is the same. We move you to the right framework after the free consultation.
Clergy & Religious Institution Abuse
Catholic, Mormon (LDS), Jehovah’s Witnesses, Protestant denominations, religious schools, and youth programs. The Archdiocese of Portland was the first U.S. diocese to file Chapter 11 over clergy abuse.
Boy Scouts of America (BSA) Abuse
Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Sea Scouts, Venturing, summer camps, jamborees. Includes troops chartered under the Cascade Pacific Council. The 2010 Portland Lewis verdict released the “perversion files.”
Doctor & Medical Sexual Abuse
Physicians, surgeons, OB-GYNs, anesthesiologists, psychiatrists, therapists, dentists, and chiropractors. Plus hospitals and clinics for negligent hiring and supervision.
Nursing Home & Elder Abuse
Nursing homes, assisted living, memory care, adult foster homes, residential care. Oregon’s ORS 124.100 allows treble damages plus attorney fees for vulnerable-person abuse.
Rideshare Sexual Assault (Uber & Lyft)
Driver-on-passenger and passenger-on-driver assault. Federal MDL 3084 is active against Uber. Oregon state-court paths are available against both platforms.
Foster Care Sexual Abuse
Abuse in Oregon’s foster-care system, by foster parents, group-home staff, or caseworkers who failed to act. Civil claims against the state, agencies, and individual abusers.
Group Home & Residential Care Abuse
Sexual abuse of children and vulnerable adults in licensed group homes, residential treatment facilities, and behavioral-health placements. Claims against operators, the state agencies that placed and oversaw them, and individual staff or volunteers.
What Oregon Law Provides for Survivors
Oregon’s civil sexual abuse statutes are among the most survivor-friendly in the country. Four rules drive most cases here.
- HB 3582 (effective June 26, 2025): No time limit on adult sexual assault civil claims arising on or after that date. ORS 12.118 as amended.
- Discovery rule for childhood abuse: ORS 12.117 lets survivors file before age 40, or within 5 years of discovering the abuse-injury link, whichever is longer.
- Institutional liability: Churches, schools, hospitals, agencies, and other institutions can be sued for negligent hiring, supervision, and failure to act on prior complaints.
- Punitive damages: Available where an institution knowingly concealed abuse or moved the abuser to a new role with the same access.
The 5 Survivor Statistics That Drive These Cases
The numbers below are drawn from federal data: the CDC’s National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS), the Department of Justice, and RAINN. For broader context, our firm maintains a deeper review of sexual abuse statistics in the United States and a separate breakdown of child sex abuse statistics.
1 in 4U.S. women who experience contact sexual violence in their lifetimeCDC NISVS1 in 26U.S. men who experience contact sexual violence in their lifetimeCDC NISVS~91%Of child sexual abuse committed by a person known to the childRAINN / DOJMost survivors do not report immediately. Many do not report for years, decades, or ever. Oregon’s discovery rule and the new HB 3582 amendments exist because the legislature recognized that the time to file should not be tied to the moment of harm, but to the moment a survivor connects the harm to its consequences.
If You Are in Crisis Right Now
The RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline is free, confidential, 24/7: 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). Oregon-specific support is available through the Oregon Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence. For immediate medical and forensic care, OHSU and Legacy Emanuel in Portland operate 24/7 SANE (sexual assault nurse examiner) programs.
George Goldberg
Senior Partner · Trial AttorneyWith more than 30 years of courtroom experience, George Goldberg has secured multi-million dollar verdicts for survivors and injury victims across Oregon. He is known as an aggressive trial advocate who takes institutions to court when they refuse to do the right thing.
- 30+ years trial experience
- Multiple seven and eight-figure recoveries
- Focus on institutional and corporate defendants
James Loren
Senior Partner · Trial AttorneyJames Loren has dedicated his career to advocating for survivors of abuse, catastrophic injury, and wrongful death. He combines deep legal expertise with a survivor-centered approach. Clients describe him as the lawyer who actually listens.
- 30+ years representing Oregon survivors
- Martindale Distinguished, Client Champion Gold 2025
- Trauma-informed litigation approach
What to Do When You Are Ready to Come Forward
You do not need to know what kind of case you have. You only need to take one quiet step.
- Confidential call: Speak privately with an attorney. Share only what you are comfortable sharing. Attorney-client privilege protects every word.
- Free case evaluation: We review the facts, identify the responsible institution, and explain which Oregon statute controls your timeline.
- We build the case: Our team investigates personnel files, prior complaints, institutional records, and patterns. You do not have to gather the evidence alone.
- We pursue recovery: We negotiate aggressively. If the institution will not settle fairly, we file in Multnomah County or federal court and take the case to trial.
Compensation Available to Oregon Sexual Abuse Survivors
A civil claim is not only about money. For most survivors, it is also about accountability and the closure that comes from forcing an institution to acknowledge what happened. Civil claims may include:
- Therapy and mental-health treatment (past and future)
- Medical expenses connected to abuse-related conditions
- Lost wages and diminished earning capacity
- Pain, suffering, PTSD, and emotional-distress damages
- Loss of consortium for affected family relationships
- Punitive damages where an institution knowingly concealed abuse
- Wrongful death damages where the abuse contributed to a survivor’s death
- Treble damages and attorney fees in vulnerable-person cases under ORS 124.100
Recovery depends on the severity of harm, the strength of evidence of institutional cover-up, and whether the case settles or goes to trial. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome in any case.
Local to Portland, Statewide Reach
We accept Oregon sexual abuse cases regardless of where the abuse occurred. Our Portland office serves clients across:
- Portland (Multnomah County)
- Beaverton, Hillsboro, Tigard
- Gresham, Troutdale, Fairview
- Salem, Eugene, Bend
- Vancouver, WA metro area
- All surrounding Oregon communities
Cases can be handled remotely. You do not need to come to our office to start. Request a confidential case review →
Frequently Asked Questions
It depends on when the abuse occurred and your age at the time. For adult sexual assault claims arising on or after June 26, 2025, Oregon’s ORS 12.118 (as amended by HB 3582) imposes no time limit. For abuse that occurred before that date, the older 5-year discovery rule applies for adults. Child sexual abuse claims follow ORS 12.117’s discovery rule (before age 40, or 5 years from discovery, whichever is longer).
The individual abuser, and any institution whose negligence enabled the abuse. That includes churches, schools, hospitals, foster-care agencies, the state of Oregon, Boy Scouts of America, the Cascade Pacific Council, the YMCA, Girl Scouts, Boys & Girls Clubs, Big Brothers Big Sisters, gymnastics and sports governing bodies, 4-H and other youth organizations, daycares, sports clubs, summer camps, nursing homes, juvenile-detention facilities (including the Oregon Youth Authority and MacLaren), adult correctional facilities (including Coffee Creek), psychiatric and behavioral-health hospitals (including the Oregon State Hospital), disability service providers and group homes for developmentally disabled adults, colleges and universities, fraternities and sororities, hotels and motels (under federal sex-trafficking law), rideshare platforms, and corporate employers. The institution is usually the deeper pocket and the one with documentary evidence in personnel files.
Both. Oregon courts hold institutions liable for negligent hiring, negligent supervision, failure to act on prior complaints, and active cover-up. In most successful claims, the institution carries the primary financial responsibility because it has the deeper insurance pocket and the regulatory duty to prevent abuse. HB 3582 made it easier still by removing the prior “knowingly” standard for institutional defendants.
Often, no. ORS 12.117 allows survivors of childhood sexual abuse to file before age 40, or within 5 years of discovering the causal link between the abuse and an injury, whichever is longer. Many survivors first connect their adult symptoms (PTSD, depression, substance use) to childhood abuse decades after it happened. They remain within the statute. We can review your specific timeline at no cost.
Goldberg & Loren handles every sexual abuse case on a contingency fee basis. You pay nothing up front. Our fee comes from the recovery only if we win. Initial consultations are free and fully confidential. In certain vulnerable-person cases (ORS 124.100), Oregon law allows the court to award attorney fees from the defendant on top of the survivor’s damages.
Yes. Survivors may file under a pseudonym (John Doe or Jane Doe) where the court allows. All communications with our firm are protected by attorney-client privilege. We never share your identity, your story, or your case details without your written permission.
You can still file a civil claim. Liability often rests with the institution that supervised the abuser, such as the diocese, religious order, school, agency, or employer. Even when the individual abuser has passed away, institutional defendants remain accountable under Oregon law, and the records that prove the case usually live in the institution’s personnel files.
You may still have a strong case. Civil cases often turn on pattern evidence found later in discovery, including prior complaints, internal reports, and other survivors who have not yet been identified. In our experience, once one survivor files, others frequently come forward. Your case can also be the catalyst that exposes a pattern.
Criminal cases are brought by the state to punish the abuser; the standard of proof is “beyond a reasonable doubt.” Civil cases are brought by survivors to recover compensation; the standard is the lower “preponderance of the evidence.” You do not need a criminal conviction to win a civil case. Many of our clients never participate in a criminal case at all.
Many survivors have fragmented memory, especially when the abuse occurred in childhood or while intoxicated or sedated. Civil cases rely on the totality of available evidence (institutional records, prior complaints, contemporaneous documents, witness testimony) not just on a survivor’s memory. You do not need a perfect, linear account to come forward.
One Confidential Call. We Take It From There.
You do not have to know which path is right. You do not have to know the law. You do not have to be ready to make a decision today. The first step is the same for every survivor: one quiet, confidential phone call. We listen first.
Get a Confidential Consultation Call (971) 803-4962 Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Pay nothing unless we win.George Goldberg
Senior Partner, Goldberg & Loren | Member, Oregon State Bar J.D. magna cum laude, | University of Miami School of Law Serving clients since 1994 | 30+ years, 20,000+ casesLast updated: May 27, 2026Goldberg & Loren Personal Injury Attorneys
6500 S Macadam Ave #380,
Portland, OR 97239
(971) 339-8080
For most survivors, the hardest part of a case isn't the evidence — it's the decision to speak. When you're ready, our job is to carry the legal weight, guard your privacy, and make the people and institutions that failed you answer for it. You set the pace; we handle the fight.
George Goldberg
Senior Partner
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