The Jones Act is a law enacted by Congress that provides protection to persons (“seamen”) who are members of the crew of a vessel. The Jones Act applies to inland river workers as well as offshore workers who work on a jack-up rig, semi-submersible, barge, drill ship, tug / towboat, crew boat , drill ship,… Read More
Sexual Assault Awareness Month
April 2022 marks the official 21st anniversary of Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM). There is an epidemic of sexual abuse in our country. Statistics reported by the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) reveal that each year in the U.S., more than 433,648 people – male and female – are sexually assaulted or raped…. Read More
Closing the Law Enforcement Consent Loophole Act
“Congress Has Closed The Loophole That Allowed Federal Officers To Claim Sex With A Detainee Is Consensual”, reported by Albert Samaha, Buzzfeed News. The bipartisan legislation, passed last week, makes it a crime for a federal law enforcement officer to engage in any sexual act with someone in custody, or while exercising their authority, regardless… Read More
The End of Forced Arbitration of Sexual Misconduct Cases
UPDATED: March 3, 2022 Last February, the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate overwhelmingly passed the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act. President Biden signed this significant legislation into law on March 2, 2022, officially banning forced arbitration for sexual misconduct cases and allowing sexual assault and… Read More
Understanding the R. Kelly Guilty Verdict
On September 27, 2021, a federal jury in New York found Robert Kelly guilty of one count of racketeering and eight violations of the Mann Act, a federal anti-sex-trafficking law. He faces the possibility of ten years to life in prison. The verdict comes after a six-week trial, in which multiple witnesses testified about a… Read More
If You Were Raped, You Still Have a Voice
Every 68 seconds, an individual in the US is sexually assaulted. Survivors of rape, sexual assault, and sexual abuse are individuals of all ages, races, genders, and economic backgrounds. RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network), the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization, reports that one in six American women and one in 33 American men… Read More
The Catholic Church and the Art of the Coverup
Richard Windman, the President of Survivors of Childhood Sex Abuse, wrote this interesting article, The Catholic Church and the Art of the Coverup, recently featured in the Big Easy Magazine. As a survivor who came forward publicly about his own abuse as a child at the hands of employees at Jesuit High School in New… Read More
Lamothe Law Firm Files Two Lawsuits for Child Abuse Survivors
News from KATC in Lafayette, Louisiana: Two suits filed under new law that expands time for sex abuse claims. These suits were filed by the Lamothe Law Firm as soon as this new law took effect. One suit was filed in New Orleans federal court against Brothers of the Holy Cross Schools by John Lousteau… Read More
New Sexual Assault Advocacy Center in Louisiana
Louisiana Foundation Against Sexual Assault (LaFASA) has announced a new sexual assault advocacy center in Louisiana: Southeast Advocates for Family Empowerment (SAFE) is provisionally accredited for Tangipahoa, Livingston and St. Helena Parishes and will serve both sexual assault and domestic violence survivors. Their crisis line number is 888-411-1333. There are 11 other accredited sexual assault… Read More
Can a Maritime Employer Be Held Liable for Failing to Provide for Crew Safety?
For crew members and other maritime workers, tragedies like the recent capsizing of the SEACOR POWER off the Louisiana coast hit close to home. Unfortunately, many maritime and offshore catastrophes are compounded when crew members in an emergency discover safety equipment is missing, defective, or improperly maintained. Precious lost moments searching for safety gear or… Read More
