Los Angeles sex crime defense attorneys work hard to represent those charged. Sex crimes are difficult to battle against, in part because of the social stigma associated with the crime. The general public will often find anyone accused of a sex crime guilty, even before they are prosecuted. In a recent case, NFL star Ben Roethlisberger of the Pittsburgh Steelers has been accused of raping a Nevada woman. The woman, a Harrahs Lake Tahoe Hotel and Casino VIP Services Manager, has filed a civil suit against the quarterback claiming he asked her to come to his hotel room to fix a broken television set. After determining that there was nothing wrong with the television, the woman, whose identity has been withheld, claims Roethlisberger blocked the doorway, pushed her onto the bed and raped her. The lawsuit filed by the woman states that she had met Roethlisberger several times in the past when he had participated in an annual celebrity golf event hosted by the resort. The woman claims she reported the incident to the hotels chief of security, Guy Hyder. The lawsuit accuses Hyder and several other Harrahs employees of covering up the incident and making derogatory remarks about her character. No Nevada law enforcement agencies were contacted by the woman and there were no criminal charges filed or investigations into the allegations taking place. Since Roethlisberger is not being accused of a criminal offense, he will not serve jail time if he is found guilty in the civil suit. The woman accusing him of rape is suing Roethlisberger for $380,000 in medical expenses for the treatment of depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder, $30,000 in lost wages and an unspecified amount of damages. Since this is a civil case and not criminal, neither the Steelers nor the NFL have released any statements as to what kind of punishment, if any, Roethlisberger will be given. The sex crimes of rape and sexual assault charges are nothing to take lightly. Even if this case does not appear on Roethlisbergers criminal record, it could permanently damage his good reputation. Had this woman filed criminal charges against Roethlisberger, he could have been facing as much as eight years in a state prison, in addition to probation or parole. Just because someone makes an allegation against you does not mean that there is no way to defend yourself against it. Insufficient evidence, lack of witnesses and the absence of DNA evidence are some of the strongest defenses against sex offense charges. If you have been accused of a sex crime such as rape or sexual assault, call the Los Angeles criminal defense attorneys at Kestenbaum, Eisner & Gorin. Tagged as: sex crime accusations