Numerous media outlets have reported on the sexual assault of children by clergy in the churches they attended during the past few years. Although the Catholic Church has received the majority of attention, other churches’ clergy have also faced abuse allegations.
When information came to light that some churches had made an effort to hide the existence and scope of child abuse, the issue grew worse.
Numerous victims have demanded that their abusers be charged criminally and have sued the institutions they claim covered up the abuse.
How Priests Abuse Children Sexually
“Grooming” is a procedure that frequently precedes acts of abuse against priests. Child predators frequently use this strategy to gain the victim’s trust before abusing them.
Priests enjoy a high level of confidence from their community as spiritual guides. During the process of grooming, this trust favors predatory priests in several ways:
- Making a list of possible victims: Priests establish deep bonds with their parishioners in their capacity as congregational leaders. These relationships are abused by predators, who choose vulnerable children as their victims.
- Victim isolation: Parents and guardians frequently entrust a priest with the spiritual upbringing of their children. This trust may be used by a predator to isolate a kid victim while seeming to provide spiritual guidance or instruction.
- Managing and hiding the relationship: They are “men of God” priests. Abusive priests frequently use this power to frighten their victims with God’s wrath. These predators might compel a victim to prolong the abuse by doing so.
Sexual Abuse in the Catholic Church
Every state in the U.S. has records of clergy members abusing children sexually. The allegations of abuse involve numerous decades and thousands of victims.
The USCCB (U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops) recorded 4,228 complaints of child sexual abuse in 2021. 3,924 survivors of abuse made these claims between July 1, 2019, and June 30, 2020. More than 2,700 clergy members from all over the country were involved in the occurrences.
According to the report, only 22 of the allegations are related to active cases. However, survivors with more dated instances still look to accountable dioceses for legal justice.
Furthermore, numerous senior Church leaders have planned cover-ups. Many dioceses and church authorities covered up the abuse and defended the perpetrators rather than protecting children.
Cover-ups of Catholic Priest Abuse
Instead of reporting the abuse to law enforcement, several diocese administrators transferred suspected priests to different parishes. It’s known as “priest shuffling” when abusive priests are moved between parishes. Priests were moved about, and pedophiles were shielded by church officials, not innocent kid victims.
Some victims have filed civil lawsuits against the dioceses and bishops who abused their authority to shield priests due to these cover-ups.
Boston Herald Vatican Priest Scandal
Since the 11th century, there has been evidence of clergy sexual abuse in the Catholic Church. In the past 20 years, media coverage of it has increased. This is mostly because of a series that appeared in The Boston Globe.
The Boston Globe conducted a months-long investigation into Boston’s Catholic Church sexual abuse cases before publishing its findings in 2002. The Boston Globe described decades of priest sexual abuse in the Greater Boston parishes in several pieces. The publications also described how senior church leaders covered up the assault.
Public outrage resulted from this investigation’s findings. The television series shattered the long-standing faith that many Americans had in the Catholic Church. The series sparked similar inquiries in a number of other states and localities. The incredible tale of The Boston Globe’s investigation served as the basis for the critically acclaimed film Spotlight.
How Many Roman Catholic Priests Have Allegedly Abused Children?
In the U.S., there have been more than 6,000 credible allegations of sexual abuse against Catholic clergy members. Numerous of these allegations of abuse go back many years. Many of these clergymen are now no longer alive.
2,458 priests were named in the USCCB report from 2021 regarding allegations of child sexual abuse. The study also included 248 “unknown clergy” and a further 31 deacons.
These figures are probably underestimated. 41 Catholic dioceses and religious orders, as of January 28, 2020, have not made public lists of priests who have been accused of abusing children. Additionally, the majority of victims might never report any alleged abuse.
How Can the Victims of Clergy Sexual Abuse Win Their Case?
An abuse victim would likely just need to show that they had been sexually molested and that the church either did not do enough to address the problem or actively tried to cover it up in order to win such a case. The perpetrator might potentially be sued on an individual basis, although it is unlikely that they would have the financial means to pay any award or settlement.
Most legal actions brought about by clergy sex abuse have been settled. The numerous victims in these cases contribute to the hefty compensation. In Alaska, the Society of Jesus just reached a $50 million settlement. At a mission in Alaska, it was alleged that church members sexually molested over 100 Inuit youngsters.
The Archdiocese of Boston is facing legal action for concealing child abuse, and a settlement of around $100 million may be reached. In the U.S., numerous other dioceses and churches have declared bankruptcy after being accused of abusing their clergy.
What Obstacles Exist in Filing a Clergy Sexual Abuse Case?
Clergy sex abuse lawsuits have increased, but there are still big obstacles to overcome. First, many churches will use the freedom of religion clause and the Constitution to cover up their wrongdoings. Many clergies will continue to invoke the First Amendment as a defense against any state inspection, even though many courts have found that the judiciary can decide on criminal cases without addressing church doctrine.
The fact that many of these cases involve formerly incarcerated victims is another significant barrier to prosecuting clergy sex abuse cases. The atrocities frequently occurred years, if not decades, before any lawsuit could be brought up because children are reluctant to come forward when an adult is abusing them and because the churches frequently seek to cover up any sign of controversy.
As a result, the statute of limitations, which establishes a deadline for filing lawsuits with the courts, has frequently passed. Any type of abuse must be heard by a court as soon as possible, or if the statute of limitations has passed, it must be convinced to hear the case.
What Distinguishes Clergy Malpractice from Clergy Sexual Abuse?
Although clergy malpractice includes sexual misconduct, the former is undoubtedly a more serious subcategory. Sexual assault is a severe crime, especially when it involves young children who look up to an adult.
Malpractice often refers to negligence or the failure to take the necessary steps to avoid a negative outcome. It is not a failure to take action to abuse juveniles and then hide the evidence of that behavior; rather, it is an activity that should never have been taken in the first place. Judges are now willing to consider allegations of clergy sex abuse because it is a matter of criminal law, in contrast to clergy malpractice actions that are more likely to become mired in legal jargon.
Do I Need a Lawyer For My Lawsuit Alleging Clergy Sexual Abuse?
In addition to filing a civil lawsuit for damages, victims of clerical abuse may also file criminal accusations. To ensure the best possible defense and result, it is helpful to speak with an experienced criminal attorney because litigation against the clergy is a new and developing area of the law.
