According to some reports, sexual abuse by Catholic priests has been going on for more than 50 years. Some even suggest that leaders within the church have been involved in the relocation of Catholic priests accused of sexual abuse and the cover-up of their atrocities.The emotional damage done to the children who were victimized by their parish priests will impact them for the rest of their lives. If you or your child was sexually abused by a priest, you should have your case reviewed by our reliable Catholic Priest child sexual abuse lawyers who will fight to see that these horrific acts do not go unpunished.
When most people think of a child, or children, being sexually abused by a priest, most think of the Catholic Church. Across the country sexual abuse by Catholic priests is a problem that has impacted many Catholic and Christian communities, however, and the need for aggressive representation for victims is universal. Our nationwide team of Catholic Priest child sexual abuse lawyers and clergy sexual abuse injury attorneys have extensive experience representing children in these extremely difficult cases.
Recently, the Vatican revealed that it has defrocked nearly 850 priests for sexual molestation and rape of children, and has sanctioned more than 2,500 priests in the past decade. The statistics were revealed by a representative of the Holy See during intense questioning by a United Nations committee that monitors the UN treaty against torture.There is an expectation that an expansion of the definition of torture to include sexual abuse against children will start a new wave of lawsuits against those who commit the vile acts. According to the Catholic News Service, there are well over 400,000 Catholic priests and the church has been accused of covering up abuses of their priests for decades.
Catholic Priest Child Sexual Abuse Statistics
Across the U.S., increased scrutiny of the Catholic Church and other religious organizations has revealed thousands of instances of covering up and excusing sexual abuses by priests. In February, the Los Angeles Archdiocese reached a $13 million settlement in a lawsuit involving a number of priests – one of whom allegedly molested more than 24 boys between the ages of seven and twelve – over a nine-month period. The local cardinal and various aides were accused of misleading police investigators and helping one of the priests escape the country before law enforcement agents were told about the sex abuse complaints.
Another Catholic priest who served in a number of parishes in California admitted to molesting more than 30 young boys over a 25-year period. Many of the boys – most of whom were altar servers – were subject to criminal acts on dozens of occasions. Although he was eventually defrocked and labeled as a violent sex offender, recently revealed church and seminary records show that many officials in the church knew of his sexual assaults against children but did little to stop him.
Protecting Your Child From Child Sexual Predator Priests
Unfortunately, while the Vatican appears to be making efforts to deal with abusers, it is not the only religious organization that covers up abuses by child molesters. Parents and other loved ones should stay alert and take note of circumstances, behaviors and acts that do not feel quite right. Following are some tips for keeping your child safe:Protecting your child
- Network with other parents who have children involved in the same organization
- Take note of changes in your child’s behavior and mood
- Believe your children when they drop hints about abuse or behavior that makes them uncomfortable
- If your child spends time alone with an adult, drop in unannounced occasionally to check on them
- Monitor your child’s internet use and conduct your own internet searches regarding information about registered and alleged sex offenders
Unfortunately, you cannot watch over your child every minute of the day and abuse may occur despite doing everything you can to protect your child. If you believe your child – or another loved one – is suffering at the hands of an abuser, first contact the police and then contact an attorney. Our Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Catholic priest child sexual abuse lawyers and Dallas Texas child molestation attorneys are is experienced with helping victims of child molestation can help you stop and punish a predator, obtain medical and psychological care for your child and collect compensation for harm caused.
Benefits & Damages In Catholic Priest Child Sex Abuse Claims
When a child in sexually abused or molested at the hands of a priest, teacher, coach, daycare worker, caretaker or instructor they may take decades to work through the gauntlet of emotional problems they will face. Some may never fully recover from the abuse at all. Our nationwide team of Providence Rhode Island Catholic priest child sexual abuse injury lawyers will review every aspect of your case and determine the full financial value of your case. The Los Angeles CA Catholic priest child molestation injury attorneys on our team will obtain benefits such as medical care compensation, therapy and counseling benefits, physical pain and emotional suffering benefits and more.
Timeframes For Filing A Child Sex Abuse Lawsuit
Each state has their own laws about the timeframe allowed to file a sexual abuse lawsuit. They are different from other types of injury lawsuits and there is legislation being written in many states to totally remove the timeframe, which is legally called the statute of limitations. No matter when you or your child were sexually abuse or molested by a priest, minister, rabbi or nun contact our New York New York Catholic priest child sex abuse lawyers for a free consult.
Let Our Catholic Priest Child Sexual Abuse Lawyers Help
Our Baltimore Maryland Catholic Priest child sexual abuse lawyers offer free consults and charge no fees if they do not recover for you.
No matter what state your child was injured in our team of Wilmington Delaware Catholic Priest child abuse lawyers can help as they serve all 50 states, Puerto Rico and Washington D.C. including: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Washington D.C., West Virginia, Wyoming and Wisconsin.