July 25, 2019 / by Brett Katsma / Sexual Abuse & Assault Lawsuits
Recent studies have shown that only about 34% of child-sexual-abuse victims in the United States tell authorities of their abuse before adulthood. Another 33% do tell authorities of their abuse, but far later in life with the median age being 52. And unfortunately, the final 33% never reveal their abuse. One of the contributing factors to these statistics is a law that has been a staple of the US legal system – the statute of limitations. Basically, the statute of limitations is the maximum time allowed for a victim to file a claim in a legal system.
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The Biggest Deterrent to Reporting Child Sexual Abuse
July 25, 2019 / by Brett Katsma / Sexual Abuse & Assault Lawsuits
Recent studies have shown that only about 34% of child-sexual-abuse victims in the United States tell authorities of their abuse before adulthood. Another 33% do tell authorities of their abuse, but far later in life with the median age being 52. And unfortunately, the final 33% never reveal their abuse. One of the contributing factors to these statistics is a law that has been a staple of the US legal system – the statute of limitations. Basically, the statute of limitations is the maximum time allowed for a victim to file a claim in a legal system.
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Minnesota Catholic Diocese to Pay $34m to Victims of Clergy Abuse
July 17, 2019 / by Brett Katsma / Catholic Church Sexual Abuse
The Diocese of New Ulm, Minnesota has agreed on a settlement to pay $34 million to at least 93 victims of sexual abuse. In conjunction with the monetary compensation for the sexually abused victims, the settlement was designed to advance the ‘children protection movement’ and to prevent sexual predators, specifically of the Catholic Church, from victimizing another generation.
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Providence Diocese Lists Priests Accused of Sexually Abusing Children
July 15, 2019 / by Brett Katsma / Catholic Church Sexual Abuse
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence, RI has recently released the names of 50 priests and deacons who have been credibly accused of sexually abusing children dating back to 1950. In the posting on their website, the diocese indicates that 19 of the 50 names are priests and deacons that are still alive, but nearly all of the accused have been removed from ministry.
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Group releases names of 109 clerics accused of sexual abuse in Diocese of Phoenix
July 10, 2019 / by Brett Katsma / Catholic Church Sexual Abuse
The Catholic Church sexual abuse epidemic continues as the names of more than 100 clerics accused of abuse in the Phoenix Diocese were recently released to the public. According to the report filed, more than 50 of the names released have already passed away and another 25 priests’ whereabouts are unknown.
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Superior Court reinstates priest molestation lawsuit filed against Altoona-Johnstown Diocese
July 9, 2019 / by Brett Katsma / Catholic Church Sexual Abuse
A Pennsylvania Superior Court has recently reinstated an important lawsuit against the Catholic Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown, PA. The lawsuit claims that a woman was repeatedly molested by a pedophile priest in the 1970’s and 1980’s. The case was originally dismissed in December 2017 by a Blair County, PA Common Pleas Court due to an expiration of the statute of limitations (the time allowed to file a claim by law).
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