Bozeman, MontanaBozeman Sexual Abuse
Bozeman Sexual Abuse Lawyers: Confidential Help for Survivors of Childhood and Institutional Abuse in Gallatin County
Boland Aarab PLLP.
You are in control of this conversation. Read at your own pace and reach out only when you are ready. If you are in crisis, call or text 988, or call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800-656-4673. If you are in danger, call 911.
Survivors of sexual abuse in Bozeman can bring a civil claim against the abuser and any school, church, youth program or employer that negligently allowed it. Montana survivors of childhood abuse can generally file before age 27, or within three years of discovering the injury the abuse caused. No police report is needed to talk with us.
When you are ready, the conversation is confidential. Contact Boland Aarab PLLP for a free consultation at (406) 315-3737.
Abuse is committed by individuals, but it is often enabled by the organizations that gave them access to children or vulnerable adults and failed to act on warning signs. In the Gallatin Valley, those settings include:
- Schools, from Bozeman, Belgrade and the valley’s smaller districts to private schools and after-school programs.
- A large university. Montana State University enrolled a record 17,165 students in fall 2025. College students can be harmed by staff, coaches or other students, and a university’s response to a report is governed by Title IX as well as state law.
- Youth sports and mountain programs. Ski and snowboard teams, climbing, hockey, rodeo, summer camps and outdoor-education programs are part of life here. Overnight travel, one-on-one coaching and remote settings create risks that responsible organizations must manage.
- Churches and faith-based youth groups.
- Seasonal resort employment. Big Sky and Bridger Bowl employ many young seasonal workers, some living in employee housing, who may be harassed or assaulted by supervisors or co-workers.
- Health care and residential care, where patients or residents depend on the people caring for them.
The question in an institutional case is what the organization knew or should have known, and what it did about it.
What happens after sexual abuse is reported in Bozeman?
Reporting is your choice as an adult survivor. If you choose to make a criminal report, the Bozeman Police Department handles incidents inside the city and the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office handles the rest of the county. Abuse at Big Sky may fall to the Madison County Sheriff, depending on location. Suspected abuse of a child can be reported to the Montana Child Abuse Hotline at 1-866-820-5437, available 24 hours a day (DPHHS Child and Family Services). At MSU, a report can also be made to the university’s Title IX office.
Many professionals must report. Montana requires school staff, clergy, health care workers and others to report suspected child abuse (§ 41-3-201, MCA). An institution’s failure to report can be part of a civil claim.
The civil case is separate. It does not depend on criminal charges or a conviction. If filed in state court, it goes to the Eighteenth Judicial District Court at the Gallatin County Law and Justice Center, 515 South 16th Avenue, Bozeman (§ 3-5-101, MCA). Title IX and other federal claims are often heard in federal court, which for Gallatin County is the Butte Division (D. Mont. L.R. 1.2). We can ask the court to let you proceed by initials or a pseudonym and to seal sensitive records where appropriate.
Montana law that applies
Our Montana sexual abuse lawyer page explains these rules in more depth:
- Before age 27, or within 3 years of discovery that an injury was caused by childhood sexual abuse (§ 27-2-216, MCA).
- The same deadlines apply to institutions whose employees, volunteers or agents negligently allowed the abuse.
- Title IX claims may be available where a school or university responded with deliberate indifference.
- Claims against a public school district or other government entity also involve the government-claims rules (§ 2-9-301, MCA).
Why hire a Great Falls firm for a Bozeman case?
In a close community, some survivors would rather work with lawyers who are not part of their daily lives. We are based in Great Falls and represent survivors throughout Montana. Our attorneys will meet you in Bozeman, somewhere private and comfortable for you, or by phone or video, and travel for depositions, hearings and trial. We have no Bozeman office. You work directly with the two attorneys who will handle your case, from the first confidential conversation to the end.
The Boland Aarab Way
- We are comfortable in federal court. Institutional and Title IX cases are often heard there. Our attorneys have handled more than 40 cases in the U.S. District Court for the District of Montana over nine years.
- We know appeals. Samir Aarab has argued twice before the Ninth Circuit, and our appellate record reaches back to 1977.
- We are trial lawyers. More than 4,000 hours in the courtroom.
- We are part of the trial bar. AAJ and MTLA members; Sam Aarab is also a Public Justice member.
We also handle catastrophic injury cases in Bozeman and nursing home abuse cases in Bozeman. See our Bozeman personal injury page.
Frequently Asked Questions
The abuse happened years ago when I was in school in Bozeman. Is it too late? Maybe not. You can generally file before age 27, or within three years of discovering that an injury was caused by the abuse. A confidential review can tell you where you stand.
Can I bring a claim against MSU or a Bozeman school? Possibly. Claims can be based on negligence, failure to report and, for schools and universities, Title IX. Claims against public entities have additional notice rules.
I was assaulted by a supervisor while working a ski season. What can I do? You may have claims against the individual and the employer, including for negligent hiring or supervision. Where the incident happened, in Gallatin or Madison County, affects the court.
Do I have to go to the police first? No. A civil case is separate from any criminal case. Reporting is your decision, and we can talk with you either way.
Will my name be public? We take steps to protect your identity, including asking the court to allow initials or a pseudonym and to seal sensitive records where appropriate. Our conversations are confidential.
Contact Boland Aarab PLLP for a free consultation at (406) 315-3737.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship.
