According to Lehigh Valley Live, a band director at the Bangor Area High School has been arrested for sexual assault.
Eric Michael Hahn, 38-years-old, has been charged with institutional sexual assault of a student and the corruption of a minor. The girl, now 17, was 16-years-old at the time of the alleged assaults. Hahn allegedly had sexual intercourse with the student.
Court papers stated that the sexual assault occurred on a dozen of occasions. Lehigh Valley Live highlighted that under the institutional sexual assault statute consent is not possible in the student-teacher relationship.
Hahn was arrested and is being held in Central Booking at Northampton County Prison.
Attorney Guy D'Andrea has represented numerous victims of sexual assault in civil lawsuits. Below, Brian shared his thoughts on the legal rights of victims sexually abused by a school employee.
“Schools and their employees have a legal obligation to uphold the safety of students in their care. These students and their parents are promised a safe learning environment. Sadly, many reports of students being sexually assaulted by a school employee have surfaced. Schools and administrations must do everything in their power to ensure the student’s safety. To ensure safety the students’ safety, they should implement safety measures (i.e., guards, background checks, and reporting systems).”
“Victims who have been sexually assaulted and their families should know they may have grounds for a civil lawsuit. To ensure they receive justice, victims’ families should acquire the services of an experienced attorney. When sexual abuse occurs, it is sometimes a result of negligence. An example of negligence is if prior misconduct complaints were filed, but the teacher was permitted to continue working. In cases of negligence, victims and their families may receive compensation for damages accrued.”