SANTA ANA, Calif., Dec. 13, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On the fifth anniversary of #MeToo in 2022, attorney Eric Traut, the personal injury attorney who represented victims in the Schrauwers v. Kevin Roy “Video Voyeur Trial,” calls for greater criminal and civil protection for survivors, including a longer statute of limitations for survivors.
Currently, in California, the statute of limitations for sexual assault and recording of individuals in areas of privacy is between one and three years, leaving many with limited routes for justice except in civil court. Traut calls for eliminating the statute of limitations for sexual predators and assailants, a policy currently enacted by Wyoming, North Carolina, Virginia, and other states.
#MeToo went viral after the reporting of sexual violence in Hollywood by people in positions of power, such as directors and producers. [Link to the story that ignited the viral movement: https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/from-aggressive-overtures-to-sexual-assault-harvey-weinsteins-accusers-tell-their-stories]
Every 68 seconds, a person is sexually assaulted in the United States, according to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network. However, sometimes, victims feel too unsafe or too vulnerable to report their experiences, especially in the workplace or in other spaces where power dynamics are present.
The success of the Schrauwers v. Kevin Roy trial, represented by attorney Eric Traut, contributes to the #MeToo Movement’s fight against systemic oppression manifested in sexual abuse, voyeurism in private areas, intimidation, coercion, and harassment.
Says Traut, “Let us work together in the spirit of the anniversary of #MeToo so that the future can be better than our past. Sometimes civil litigation can help provide healing where there are very few other options remaining due to the unreasonably short statute of limitations, but nothing can repair the damage caused. Because the statute of limitations had run for these three victims in the criminal case, this civil lawsuit was their only path to justice. I call for a lengthening of our statute of limitations so that civil litigation can be one of many tools survivors have available to them as they seek justice.”
ABOUT ERIC V. TRAUT: Eric Traut distinguished himself early as one of the top trial attorneys in Southern California when he was recognized as the youngest winner of the prestigious Trial Lawyer of the Year award in the history of the Orange County Trial Lawyer Association. Eric has handled high-profile cases that have resulted in appearances on Good Morning America, Fox News, Court T.V., and ABC's "Primetime." http://www.erictraut.com
ABOUT TRAUT FIRM: Partners of Traut Firm have litigated cases for a combined 75 years, serving as plaintiff’s attorneys primarily in areas of personal injury, wrongful death, vehicle accidents, assaults, and animal attacks. http://trautfirm.com
ABOUT #METOO: The #MeToo Movement became a viral beacon of hope where people all over the globe felt secure enough to share their stories, including various names both locally and internationally. #Metoo was founded by survivor and activist Tarana Burke in 2006, however, in 2017, the #metoo hashtag went viral following Ronan Farrow’s story of Harvey Weinstein, and the subsequent upsurge of survivor voices woke up the world to the magnitude of the problem of workplace sexual violence, intimidation, and harassment. https://metoomvmt.org/
ABOUT SCHRAUWERS: The civil trial against a Hollywood assistant director for invasion of privacy in Schrauwers v. Kevin Roy ended with an $850,000 signed verdict on November 30, 2021, with attorney Eric Traut representing the victims, at Santa Monica Superior Court Department “O” before Hon. Jay Ford, III.
[Link to judgment: https://www.dropbox.com/s/npt23qskxmo6w2y/SCHRAUWERS%20-%20SIGNED%20JUDGMENT%20.pdf?dl=0] The trial on behalf of three of the victims presented claims of intentional infliction of emotional distress and invasion of privacy as set forth in the lawsuit filed in August of 2016 and concluded October 5, 2021. [Link to the complaint: https://www.dropbox.com/s/whjc64dsyqbzmij/Schrauwers%20-%20Complaint%20-%20Filed.pdf?dl=0]. The verdict follows a criminal conviction of long-time Hollywood Assistant Director Kevin Roy, where the District Attorney recovered 400 photos and 40 videos exposing women, including the three plaintiffs in Schrauwers v. Kevin Roy, while victims were in private spaces such as dressing rooms, bathrooms, retail stores, and film sets. [Times story: https://www.latimes.com/local/crime/la-me-hollywood-video-voyeur-20150802-story.html]
Media Contact: Jess Block Nerren, jess@feltenmedia.com, 909-706-8525
