Perpetrators
Who is Melissa Rockensies?
Melissa Rockensies, a 32 year old New York teacher for Corona Arts & Sciences Academy, arrested on rape, criminal sexual act and endangering the welfare of a child. Rockensies is accused of raping a boy whom she taught summer school to and was his counselor. Using her instagram account to initiate contact with the boy she began to take him into her car once a week where she raped him. Rockensies also appears in a PSA on consent for the school.
What we know to be true of child sexual offenders is where there is one victim, there usually are more. You are not alone.
Andreozzi + Foote lawyers offer experience and a trauma-informed approach when seeking justice for our clients.
How Can A Civil Lawsuit Help Victims Seek Justice For The Trauma They May Have Experienced From Melissa Rockensies?
There are many misunderstandings about why a survivor of sexual abuse would choose to file a civil lawsuit. Child sexual abuse takes away so much from the survivors and families impacted. Our society still struggles to find ways to repair the harm done by individual perpetrators and institutions that have covered up child sexual abuse. Outdated statutes of limitations across our country leave far too many survivors denied access to our criminal or civil justice courts.
Filing a civil case can be an essential step for survivors and their families in their journey to slowly rebuild their lives and create pathways to healing. Motivation for filing a civil suit is often questioned and unfairly stereotyped as being “all about money. Filing a civil lawsuit can cast survivors as “money hungry” and is weaponized to shame and blame them even more. This couldn’t be further from the truth for survivors of child sexual abuse. The civil justice system offers victims more than just monetary benefits. It gives survivors access to justice, validation, exposure, confrontation, and ultimately some resolution. The resolution allows survivors of sexual abuse to understand and process what happened and create a new path forward without confusion, questions, and fear.
Can I File A Lawsuit Against the School?
Yes. You may have rights if you were a victim of Melissa Rockensies while she was employed at Corona Arts & Sciences Academy.
Andreozzi + Foote is the leading sexual abuse law firm in New York. Don’t hesitate to contact us today to discuss your possible legal rights.
We know it can be hard to talk about these experiences. Our compassionate school sexual abuse lawyers are here to listen and provide knowledgeable legal guidance. We provide free, confidential case evaluations where you can learn more about your rights and options under your state’s laws.
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