Constant Legal Group has spent years representing survivors after the harm has already happened, sitting across from clients who are trying to rebuild their lives after institutions failed them. That work has taught our team something that shapes everything else we do.  The fact is that the earlier a community understands the warning signs of abuse and exploitation, the fewer people will suffer. 

That belief is why Partner Ryan Cavanaugh spent an afternoon on August 13, 2026 speaking with the Case Western Reserve University Football Team about preventing sexual abuse and human trafficking. It wasn’t a media appearance or a marketing opportunity. It was a conversation with young men who are old enough to be targets, old enough to be bystanders, and old enough to be part of the solution.

Why This Conversation Needed to Happen

College-age men occupy a strange space in the national conversation about sexual abuse and trafficking. They are rarely presented as potential victims, even though child sexual abuse survivors carry the effects of that abuse well into adulthood, and even though human trafficking touches victims of every gender, age, and background. At the same time, young men in tightly bonded group settings, including athletic teams, are uniquely positioned to notice red flags among teammates, in their broader social circles, and in the community around them, long before those situations escalate.

Athletic programs also carry their own history with this issue. Institutional sexual abuse scandals at Ohio State, Michigan State, and Penn State involved coaches, staff, and physicians who were trusted precisely because of their position inside a team’s culture. Those cases share a pattern where an institution that had every opportunity to notice something wrong and chose silence, protection of reputation, or simple denial instead. Educating athletes early, before they become coaches, administrators, or team captains themselves, is one way to interrupt that pattern before it starts.

Human trafficking training aimed at student athletes may seem like an unusual pairing at first glance. It isn’t. College students, including athletes who travel for games and interact with a wide range of people through recruiting, boosters, and off-campus life, are often better positioned than they realize to recognize signs of exploitation among peers or in the community. Understanding what trafficking actually looks like, recognizing coercion, control, isolation (rather than the Hollywood version most people picture), gives students a practical tool they may never have been taught anywhere else.

What Partner Ryan Cavanaugh Shared with the Team

The conversation centered on practical recognition and response rather than legal theory. Partner Ryan Cavanaugh, who has spent his career representing survivors of institutional abuse and trafficking, including his current role on the Plaintiffs’ Executive Committee for the AngioDynamics Port Catheter MDL and the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee for the Bard Implanted Port Catheter MDL, brought a perspective shaped by years of hearing what survivors wish someone had done differently.

Topics covered included how abuse and exploitation often hide behind trusted relationships rather than obvious danger, why survivors frequently delay disclosure for years or decades, and what meaningful bystander intervention actually looks like in the moment, not after the fact. Students left with concrete guidance on how to respond if a teammate, friend, or acquaintance discloses abuse or shows signs of exploitation, along
with where survivors can turn for confidential support.

Why Constant Legal Group Invests Time in Prevention, Not Just Litigation

Some law firms treat community outreach as a marketing checkbox. We don’t do that. Every attorney at Constant Legal Group has sat with survivors in the aftermath of abuse that could sometimes have been prevented, or at least interrupted sooner, only if someone nearby had recognized what they were seeing and known how to respond.

Prevention education doesn’t generate cases. It’s the opposite of that. A student athlete who learns to recognize coercive behavior, who understands why a teammate might not report abuse right away, or who knows what to do when someone discloses exploitation, is a student athlete who might help someone long before that person ever needs a lawyer. That outcome is the entire point.

This visit to Case Western Reserve University reflects our broader commitment. Constant Legal Group has represented survivors of institutional abuse across youth sports organizations, religious institutions, schools, and residential facilities, and that experience has shown consistently that prevention and awareness are the most effective tools available before harm occurs, and civil accountability is the tool available after it does. Both matter.

What Comes Next

Constant Legal Group intends to continue offering this kind of educational outreach to schools, athletic programs, and community organizations across the country. If your organization, team, or school is interested in a similar conversation, reach out through the contact information below.

Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Sexual Abuse and Human Trafficking Prevention Education

Q: Why did Constant Legal Group speak to a college football team specifically?
A: Student athletes occupy a unique position within their campus communities. They spend significant time in close-knit group settings, travel together, and often interact with a wide network of coaches, staff, and community members. That positions them to recognize warning signs of abuse or exploitation among peers, and educating them early can help interrupt harmful patterns before they escalate.

Q: Does this presentation mean Constant Legal Group is currently handling a case at Case Western Reserve University?
A: No. This presentation was a community education initiative, unrelated to any specific legal matter involving the university or its athletic programs.

Q: What should a student do if they suspect a teammate or friend is being abused or trafficked?
A: Trust the instinct that something feels wrong. Listen without judgment if someone discloses abuse or exploitation, avoid pressuring them for details they aren’t ready to share, and help connect them with a trusted adult, campus resource, or organization such as the National Human Trafficking Hotline or RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline.

Q: Does Constant Legal Group offer this kind of presentation to other schools or organizations?
A: Yes. Constant Legal Group is committed to expanding prevention education across schools, athletic programs, and community organizations. Organizations interested in scheduling a similar conversation can reach out through the contact information below.

Q: If I was abused or trafficked and it happened years ago, is it too late to take legal action?
A: Not necessarily. Many states have expanded or eliminated the statute of limitations for civil claims related to childhood sexual abuse and trafficking. A confidential conversation with our team can help clarify what options may still be available in your state.

Constant Legal Group believes that protecting the next generation starts with conversations like this one, long before a courtroom is ever necessary. If your organization would like to schedule a prevention education session, or if you or someone you love needs to speak with someone about abuse or trafficking, we’re here.