June 4, 2019 / by Brett Katsma / Catholic Church Sexual Abuse
The Rhode Island House Judiciary Committee has voted by unanimous decision to give victims of childhood sexual abuse more time to sue their abusers and the institutions that shielded these criminal predators. This bill is a welcome relief for sexual abuse victims and their families. Jim Scanlan, a Rhode Island man whose account of sex abuse by a Boston College High School priest in the late 1970s that was highlighted in the Oscar-winning movie Spotlight had this to say during testimony, “This bill is important in that it allows a vehicle for more victims and survivors to come forward and really expose who the predators are, and partially to expose, those who protect them.”
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More Sexual Abuse Survivors Come Forward as Rhode Island Clergy Abuse Lawsuits Continue to Reveal Decades of Harm
September 11, 2026 / by Christina Feeney / Catholic Church Sexual Abuse
More Rhode Island survivors are stepping forward to tell stories they say they have carried in silence for decades. In recent days, seven men have filed lawsuits against the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence, alleging they were sexually abused as children by clergy members entrusted with their care. Their cases are part of a growing […]
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34 Lawsuits Filed Against Rhode Island Catholic Church as Survivors Finally Gain a Path to Justice
September 10, 2026 / by Christina Feeney / Catholic Church Sexual Abuse
For many survivors of clergy sexual abuse in Rhode Island, July 1 marked more than the beginning of a new month—it marked the first opportunity in decades to pursue accountability in court. On the first day a new state law took effect, 34 lawsuits were filed against the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence and affiliated […]
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New Legislation in Rhode Island Opens Path to Justice for Survivors
June 16, 2026 / by Christina Feeney / Catholic Church Sexual Abuse
A major change to Rhode Island sexual abuse law is expected to become official next week, creating new opportunities for survivors of childhood sexual abuse to seek justice against institutions that allegedly enabled, concealed, or failed to prevent abuse. The Rhode Island General Assembly is poised to approve legislation establishing a two-year “revival window” for […]
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Providence Diocese Accused of Victim Blaming in Lawsuit
June 2, 2022 / by Christina Feeney / Catholic Church Sexual Abuse
A recently filed lawsuit by a clergy sexual abuse survivor accuses the leaders of the Rhode Island Catholic Church of “victim blaming” and ignoring multiple allegations of sexual abuse of children by clergy.
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Former Student Files Sexual Abuse Lawsuit Against Portsmouth Abbey School and Former Teacher
April 9, 2021 / by Brett Katsma / Catholic Church Sexual Abuse
In late 2020, a former student at the Portsmouth Abbey School in Rhode Island filed a lawsuit in federal court claiming her former school teacher sexually abused her when she was a student and the school “failed to take any measures to investigate and put an end to the misconduct and protect its young student.”
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Rhode Island Bill Seeks to Expand Perpetrator Definition Under Annie’s Law
March 10, 2021 / by Brett Katsma / Catholic Church Sexual Abuse
Rhode Island is reviewing a new bill to expand the current law’s definition of “perpetrator”, The bill is in response to state court rulings which, victims’ advocates say, have narrowed the meaning of the term “perpetrator” and has precluded victims of clergy sexual abuse from including a church or diocese in a lawsuit.
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Rhode Island Passes Law Helping Childhood Sexual Abuse Survivors
September 21, 2020 / by Brett Katsma / Sexual Abuse & Assault Lawsuits
On August 9, 2019, Governor Gina M. Raimondo held a ceremony, signing into law a new childhood sexual abuse statute of limitations reform. The reform gives victims of childhood sexual abuse a major victory, which will allow more survivors, particularly those who are older, the ability to hold their abusers accountable for their actions.
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Rhode Island’s Attorney General Defends Updated Sex Abuse Law
July 10, 2020 / by Brett Katsma / Catholic Church Sexual Abuse
Rhode Island’s Attorney General, Peter Neronha, and his office are entering the legal arena on a civil case between three men, Philip Edwardo, Peter Cummings and Robert Houllahan, who are claiming they were sexually abused by priests within the Diocese of Providence.
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Diocese of Providence Challenges Rhode Island’s New Sexual Abuse Law
July 6, 2020 / by Brett Katsma / Catholic Church Sexual Abuse
In May of 2019 The Rhode Island House Judiciary Committee voted unanimously to extend the statute of limitations for victims of childhood sexual abuse. Jim Scanlan, who is a sexual abuse survivor, noted “This was about protecting future generations of kids, as well as enabling survivors who haven’t come forward or are trying to come forward to have a voice.”
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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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House panel OKs bill to extend statute of limitations for sex-abuse lawsuits
June 4, 2019 / by Brett Katsma / Catholic Church Sexual Abuse
The Rhode Island House Judiciary Committee has voted by unanimous decision to give victims of childhood sexual abuse more time to sue their abusers and the institutions that shielded these criminal predators. This bill is a welcome relief for sexual abuse victims and their families. Jim Scanlan, a Rhode Island man whose account of sex abuse by a Boston College High School priest in the late 1970s that was highlighted in the Oscar-winning movie Spotlight had this to say during testimony, “This bill is important in that it allows a vehicle for more victims and survivors to come forward and really expose who the predators are, and partially to expose, those who protect them.”
Read more