Sexual Assault and Trafficking Victim Sues Motel 6 for Allowing Repeated Rapes to Occur on Motel Premises

According to a news report that came out earlier this year, a woman filed a lawsuit against Motel 6 for allowing the woman to be repeatedly raped and trafficked at one of its motels when she was a teenager. The lawsuit was filed in Harris County, Texas, and the defendants in the case are Motel 6 and the motel chain’s parent company, G6.

Between 2015 and 2016, when the woman was a teenager, she was trafficked between various locations, including a Motel 6. At the time of the abuse and trafficking, the woman was in high school. According to the victim’s attorney, the woman was “recruited from a kid in her high school who introduced her to his older brother, or what was alleged to be his older brother.”

The woman was sucked into a situation where she was drugged and abused daily, being offered to approximately 10 men per day who raped her in exchange for money paid to the woman’s trafficker. The Motel 6 at issue turned a blind eye, suspending housekeeping and offering a discounted room rate “in exchange for sex with an employee of Motel 6, believed to have been a manager.”

According to the woman’s attorney, Motel 6 and its parent company, G6, are notorious for allowing sexual assaults and trafficking to occur at their hotel and motel properties.

Holding Hotels Responsible for Looking the Other Way

The hotel industry is a booming business that does not typically slow down (except for slowdowns resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic). From the most inexpensive motels to the most expensive hotels, the industry has a real and underreported problem with sexual assaults and sex trafficking taking place at hotels and motels.

Even if a hotel owner does not witness an act of sexual assault or trafficking, the hotel owner still owes hotel guests and anyone on their premises a duty of care to ensure their safety. While hotel owners may claim they have no way of knowing whether trafficking is happening on their premises, evidence discovered in lawsuits routinely shows that hotel owners, management, and staff members know substantially more than they will admit.

Accordingly, victims of sexual assault and trafficking who are assaulted on hotel premises may have an opportunity to pursue legal action by filing a lawsuit against the hotel in which the abuse occurred along with the hotel’s parent company (if there is one). The typical allegations against hotels involve acts of negligence, and in some cases, a victim may allege punitive damages.

When a hotel owner is aware, based on clear evidence, that victims are being raped and abused on its premises and takes no action to stop the abuse and trafficking (even facilitating the conduct in some cases), that hotel owner may be liable for punitive damages.

Punitive damages are awarded at trial when a jury believes a defendant’s conduct is so egregious that punishment is warranted in the civil context. While jail time is generally part of the punishment in a criminal proceeding, a hefty dollar amount is part of the punishment in a civil lawsuit.

Contact the Florida Sexual Assault Lawyers of Searcy Denney Today

If you have been the victim of sexual assault or trafficking, you may have a legal claim to recover for your pain and suffering. While no amount of compensation will undo the harm caused to you, you can still seek to hold all responsible parties accountable for their conduct.

At Searcy Denney, our Florida sexual assault lawyers represent victims who have been abused and/or trafficked in various situations. Our skilled and compassionate legal team understands the sensitive nature of what you are going through, and we always keep client information confidential.

To schedule a free consultation to discuss your situation with a Florida sexual assault lawyer, contact Searcy Denney today by calling (800) 780-8607 or completing a case inquiry form on our website.