Publicity can be avoided in most cases depending on the wishes of the victim. The question whether media publicity should be sought is a critical, involves competing goals and considerations, and should be discussed carefully between attorney and client. For many years the general rule was that media outlets had the policy of not publishing a victim's name unless the victim expressly requested it. That rule is changing and a growing number of news outlets will publish the name of a victim unless prevented by a court sealing order. Retaliatory Suits .
Litigation can be prolonged, stressful and expensive.
Any survivor who wishes to institute a civil claim should be well-established in supportive therapy before starting the action. It is not a good idea to start a lawsuit shortly after recovering memories of abuse or acknowledging the issue of abuse in your life. Cases with some outside corroboration are more feasible. Recovered memory cases are the most difficult and must be carefully evaluated before a decision to institute suit is made. Theoretical cases with no hope of collecting damages are not handled well by our judicial system and only serve to further disappoint, invalidate and frustrate victims.