Are you a silent survivor of sex abuse, either as a child or adult, at the hands of a Southern Baptist Convention clergy member, congregation member, staff member or volunteer? If so, the time has come to tell your story. Sexual assault and abuse results in very real trauma and more often then not victims never speak up. Whether out of embarrassment, uncertainty, or fear of retribution, far too many victims live their entire lives under the shadow of their abuse, and they never get the closure they so desperately need and deserve. If you have been sexually abused or molested by a anyone affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention you have rights and may qualify for benefits and significant compensation for you physical pain, emotional suffering, psychological trauma, medical costs and therapy costs. Please contact our team of attorneys handling Southern Baptist Convention sexual abuse lawsuits nationwide.
SBC Sexual Abuse Lawyers Advocating For Victims Of Sexual Abuse
Our nationwide team of Southern Baptist Church sex abuse lawyers are committed to fighting for victims of sexual abuse. Our attorneys have represented dozens of victims of sexual abuse in cases involving abuse perpetrated by clergy members. If you are a victim, or if you suspect that someone you love may be a victim, it is important that you seek help. We are here for you, and we are just a phone call away.
As a victim of sexual abuse, speaking up is not easy. It takes courage, and it takes the ability to confront the pain you have been forced to endure. It also requires you to be vulnerable, as you will need to discuss what happened with an attorney who you don’t know. We understand all of this, and we are intimately aware of what it means to decide to tell your story. With decades of experience representing sexual abuse victims, we understand what you are going through, and we will make sure you feel comfortable, confident, and informed every step of the way.
Victims Of Sexual Abuse
If you have been sexually abused as an adult, or if you are an adult and you were previously abused as a child, our attorneys can explain everything you need to know about taking legal action. We can explain the process step-by-step, and we can help you understand what you can expect during and after the process. When you contact us, you are not committing to anything. We will arrange for you to speak with one of our attorneys in confidence; and, after this initial consultation, you can decide whether you have more questions, you are not ready, or you are prepared to move forward with pursuing legal action. This decision is completely up to you, and we are simply here to help you make the right decision at the right time.
Victims Of Church Sexual Abuse
We have particular experience representing victims and families in cases of church sexual abuse. Unfortunately, the issue of child sexual abuse in the Roman Catholic Church is so prevalent that it has become well-known, and over the years numerous victims have come forward. While the Catholic Church has shown that it is prepared to go to extraordinary lengths to protect its clergy members, our attorneys have been successful in helping many victims of clergy sexual abuse expose the truth and recover substantial compensation for the effects of their abuse.
Of course, the Catholic Church is not the only church where sexual abuse occurs. We represent children, families, and adults in cases of sexual abuse involving all religious denominations, including cases involving assaults perpetrated against adults and children. No matter what happened, when it happened, or where it happened, if you or your child was sexually abused by someone in a position of power within your church, we encourage you to speak with one of our SBC church sexual abuse lawyers to learn about the resources and remedies that are available.
Southern Baptist Convention Sex Abuse
A recent investigation concerning the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) has revealed that victims of sexual abuse within the SBC attempted to report the abuse by ministers, church workers and volunteers for more than 20 years. Instead of confronting the abusers, SBC leaders ignored the victims and, at times, even vilified the individuals attempting to report the sex abuse.
With 14-million members and 47,000 churches, the Southern Baptist Convention is the largest Protestant denomination of Christianity in the United States. While rumors circulated for years about the church’s failure to stop sexual abuse within the church, it wasn’t until last June at the SBC’s annual convention in Nashville that delegates decided to bring in an outside firm to look at how church leaders handled the allegations.
On May 22, the firm, Guidepost Solutions, which interviewed Southern Baptists Convention sex abuse survivors, staff and witnesses, released their 300 page report detailing their findings.
The investigation looked at information gathered between 2000-2021 and concludes that for years while individuals reported crimes to the executive committee through letters, emails, phone calls and in the media, the committee, in return, met them with “resistance, stonewalling and even outright hostility.”
Guidepost Solutions also determined that instead of looking into serious allegations against the church, the abuse allegations were managed by “a small cadre of staff as well as its outside lawyers.’’
The firm found that a legal team advised the executive committee not to look into the sex abuse allegations to avoid liability. At the same time, it determined that while the Southern Baptist Convention publicly said they did not have a record of the abuse reports, in reality, an executive committee member managed a database listing sexual abuse allegations in 2007.
The database is evidence that the executive committee did know details of specific sex abuse cases, yet they chose not to investigate the crimes. This means alleged abusers kept their positions, even those with powerful roles. The firm found the committee had gathered the names of 703 abusers, and of those, more than 400 held positions within the SBC. Several abusers were high ranking.
Southern Baptist Convention Sexual Abuse Legal Help
The effects of sexual abuse are heartbreaking and may take years to recover from. Along with physical harm, sex abuse can cause long-term psychological and emotional issues, including depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts and drug addiction.
If you or someone you know has experienced sex abuse within the Southern Baptist Convention, seeking legal advice from an experienced child sex abuse injury attorney on how to best proceed is essential. It is important for sex abuse survivors to understand there are deadlines for filing claims against clergy abusers, churches, and/or the Southern Baptist Convention. The sex abuse lawyers on our team can help you understand the deadlines and walk you through the various legal options.
For more information regarding Southern Baptist Convention sex abuse lawsuits, please visit us online to schedule a free, confidential consultation. Everything you share with our attorneys will be kept in the strictest confidence. The lawyers our network are long-time advocates for child sex abuse victims. We are committed to forcing systemic change until the sex abuse cycle is broken and survivors can come forward without fear.