A gold medal-winning Olympic boxer, the first American Latino man to win Olympic gold, has been charged with committing lewd acts on an underage girl.
The alleged acts of child sexual abuse took place at the East Los Angeles gym, where Paul Gonzales, 53, gave boxing training for about 10 years. The gold medal-winning Olympic boxer is accused of sexually assaulting a girl under the age of 14, who attended the gym.
Gonzales served as a head coach there and was in contact with many children over the years, which is why authorities believe more victims of child sexual abuse could come forward.
Fact: over 80,000 reports of child sexual abuse are made in the U.S. every year, but experts estimate that the real number could be far greater, as many child abuse cases are never reported by victims out of fear.
If you’ve been sexually assaulted by Gonzalez, our child sexual abuse attorneys at JML Law, a Los Angeles-based law firm that has been standing up for victims of sexual misconduct and child molestation for over 35 years, are here to help you.
Our best child sexual abuse attorneys in Los Angeles respect your right to confidentiality.
Gonzalez’s victims could total dozens, investigators fear
Gonzalez was arrested on December 29 on four counts of committing lewd acts on a child. The Olympic boxer, whose bail was set to $545,000, had one count each of attempted lewd act upon a child, possession of child pornography, distribution or showing pornography to an underage individual, and molesting a minor.
Investigators are concerned that the number of Gonzalez’s victims could total dozens, as the boxer had access to hundreds of children over the past 10 years, many of whom were young girls.
Gonzalez made headlines in 1984 when he became the first American Latino man to win Olympic gold. The man excelled in the light flyweight category.
Fellow boxing coaches at the Los Angeles gym were “shocked” to hear about Gonzalez’s arrest. But that’s the thing about child molesters and sexual abusers: you never see it coming.
Even the most decent man can turn out to be a harasser, groper, abuser, rapist, and child molester. That’s why our Los Angeles child sexual abuse attorneys at JML Law advise minors and their parents to stay vigilant at all times to avoid falling prey to child molesters.
List of effects of child sexual abuse
The effects of child sexual abuse can be devastating and permanent, as many children who are sexually abused in childhood develop physical, mental, and emotional issues which can follow them into adulthood and cause life-long harm.
Our Los Angeles child sexual abuse lawyers outline the most common effects of such abuse on children:
- Insomnia, anxiety, and depression
- Life-long therapy and professional help from psychologists
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Trouble socializing or trusting people (especially elders and strangers);
- Substance abuse (many victims of child sexual abuse turn to alcohol and drugs)
- Aggressive and irrational behavior.
This is just a non-exhaustive list of the effects of child sexual abuse. As these effects often follow abused children into adulthood, they can have a negative impact on the person’s quality of life and ability to study and work. Needless to say, child sexual abuse involves huge financial expenses to treat long-lasting issues stemming from child sexual abuse.
If you have been a victim of child sexual abuse or child molestation, it’s time to speak up. The #MeToo movement has offered us a unique opportunity to hold molesters, abusers, gropers, harassers, and rapists accountable for their actions and seek justice.
Consult our child sexual abuse attorneys at JML Law to find out more about your legal options. Call our Los Angeles offices at 818-610-8800 or send an email for a free case evaluation. We respect your right to confidentiality.