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Sexual Abuse in the Church

All parents want their children to grow up in safe and loving environments. Families who attend church expect that environment to be safe and welcoming, like a second home. Unfortunately, that isn’t always true. Reports of sexual abuse within the Catholic Church have heightened the public’s awareness of this serious problem and made families second-guess the safety of their church. The Catholic Church, however, is not unique. Sexual abuse perpetrated by clergy and trusted advisors within the church community can happen in any faith. Shame, fear, and guilt mixed with religion can be a potent force that intimidates and prevents children from speaking up about sexual abuse. However, it is important that children know they can turn to a parent or adult for help.

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Victims of sexual abuse suffer serious psychological and emotional trauma. Sexual abuse includes not only sexual contact but also showing sexual images to children or making sexual suggestions to children. The long-term negative effects of childhood sexual abuse can include a range of behavioral disorders along with relationship difficulties, substance abuse, sexual dysfunction, diminished self-esteem, anger problems, anxiety, and more. Individualized counseling sessions, trauma-focused behavioral therapy, Solution Focused therapy, or group therapy administered by a licensed therapist can help set the child on a path to recovery. Treatment is based on what is best for the individual. Some victims of childhood sexual abuse may require life-long therapy in order to process and heal from the trauma inflicted on them.

National Statistics

It is difficult to know just how many people suffer from church-related sexual abuse. These figures are often not as easily found, and in some cases, they are drastically underreported. If you find yourself the victim of this type of incident, we encourage you to reach out to get help. Our church sexual abuse lawyer is here to help you, even if you are unsure that you have a case.

It’s estimated that 9.2% of children who are sexually assaulted at some point during their lives were adjusted by religious leaders. Some additional research indicates that as much as 2% to 4% of women churchgoers have experienced some type of sexual harassment, assault, or advancement by a member of the clergy.

A survey by Pew Research makes it clear that most people don’t have any idea how common this type of abuse is, and many are not willing to acknowledge it. Yet, it occurs in most types of religions.

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Sexual Abuse Claims in the Catholic Church

Shock and outrage followed reports of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church in 2002. The scandal that broke in Boston was not isolated to that city. In late 2018, reports of sexual misconduct by Indianapolis area priests hit the media. Allegations in one report date back several decades, according to the Archdiocese of Indianapolis. Archbishop Charles C. Thompson issued a public statement following the report for renewed transparency and accountability of the clergy. He further stated that he would be seeking the guidance of the Archdiocesan Review Board to assist in preparing a list for publication of all clergy, living and deceased, with a substantiated claim of sexual abuse against a child or minor.

These new conversations within churches and religious organizations are a positive step toward preventing future sexual impropriety committed by clergy. However, the church still needs to be held accountable for the many years of sexual abuse alleged by countless victims. Some of these victims may have repressed these memories as a form of coping and are now realizing this trauma. Media reports have uncovered that some churches reassigned clergy after reports of sexual abuse in a way to keep the abuse quiet rather than address the wrongdoing and show concern for the child’s well-being. This action allowed these sexual predators access to more children.

Our attorneys are currently investigating claims against the Archdiocese across Indiana, including Indianapolis, Ft. Wayne, and Evansville. These investigations preceded the list published by the Archdiocese of Indianapolis of the nineteen (19) priests with substantiated claims of abuse against them on October 11, 2018. The investigation process can be complex from both a legal and an emotional standpoint for clients. From a legal standpoint, the statute of limitations, which essentially creates a deadline for when claims can be brought, could keep victims from seeking justice in a court of law. For this reason, it is important to speak with an attorney as soon as possible to understand your rights related to your specific case. From an emotional standpoint, talking about the events can be difficult for victims of sexual abuse. Our trauma-trained attorneys have experience guiding victims through the investigation process in a way that does not re-victimize them. This can make a considerable difference for clients as they navigate the legal process in bringing a claim.

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In addition to our legal investigation, the church has implemented a process for doing an internal investigation of claims made against clergy members that may not protect the victim’s interests. For this reason, we strongly urge anyone considering bringing a lawsuit against the church to talk with an experienced sexual abuse attorney before they contact the church.

How Many Priests Have Been Prosecuted for Child Abuse?

Child abuse happens too often. Your sexual abuse lawyer knows the strength it takes to come out against priests. Clergy members should be trusted, but many breach this trust, which leads to abuse.

Bishop Accountability does maintain databases of abuse and claims, with recent counts of:

6,433 priests accused of abuse
4,700+ clerics

Sadly, many of the priests who are abusive never see justice. Statutes of limitations play a role in some of these priests not being charged, but there’s also a systematic problem involving:

Church officials will go to great lengths to conceal claims because they do not want to tarnish the name of the priest or the church.
Victims who are often afraid or ashamed to come forward with their claims. Often, victims come forward decades after the abuse, and the priest may no longer be alive at this point, or there may be no way to prove the claims.

We may never know the full extent of priests who abuse children, but when cases do come to light, it’s up to parents and adults to protect children. If a child does claim that a priest touched them inappropriately, take the claim seriously and report it.

Investigations into the claim may prevent others from suffering the same fate in the future.

Abuse is very serious, and if you want to file a complaint, you can do so with:

Leader of the diocese
Local law enforcement officials

Reporting the abuse may require you to contact more than just the church. Often, claims are brushed under the rug, although there have been positive reforms to prevent this from occurring.

A compassionate attorney can help you better understand where to file a claim and how to take the appropriate legal action to hold the priest accountable for their actions.

How Much Has the Catholic Church Paid in Settlements Nationwide?

Bishop Accountability reports that the church has paid over $4 billion in settlements in over 8,600 cases, but other sources state that $3 billion has been paid out. We might never know the true settlement figure total or the extent of the abuse.

What we do know is that as your sexual abuse lawyer, we’ll seek the maximum settlement possible in your case.

Case settlements are difficult to value because many cases include hundreds of victims who band together and find the strength to face their abusers as a group. Some of the settlements that we do know the value of include:

2003: The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston faced 550 lawsuits from victims who were abused by priests. The settlement, at the time, was the largest in the U.S. and totaled $85 million.
2018: The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis was ordered to pay a $210 million settlement to a total of 450 survivors of abuse. The case was the second largest at the time.
2020: The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia wasn’t charged in this case, but instead, created a $126 million reparations fund for 615 claims. Over 208 of the claims were settled.

We highlighted the most prominent cases, but there have been many more in between these periods that amounted to tens of millions or hundreds of millions of dollars in settlements.

Victims of abuse have a right to worship in a safe environment. Settlements will not reverse the damage, pain and suffering that the child endured. Church should be a safe place. If you or a loved one were a victim of abuse, coming forward may give strength to others to seek just for the abuse they faced.

Holding those responsible for your abuse will also allow you to move forward and start to rebuild your life that has been impacted at such a young age.

Sexual Abuse Claims in Southern Baptist Convention

The sexual abuse crisis within the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) was brought to the forefront of public concern following a 2019 news report about an investigation conducted by journalists at the Houston Chronicle and the San Antonio Express-News. The public outcry that followed finally led to a decision by SBC leaders to allow an independent investigation into sexual abuse claims within the church. Guidepost Solutions was hired to investigate allegations of abuse committed by SBC Executive Committee members, reports of mishandling of abuse allegations and allegations of mistreatment of sexual abuse victims by SBC Executive Committee members. This investigation covered a timespan of more than 20 years.

SBC Sexual Abuse Guidepost Report Findings

In response to the Guidepost report, SBC leaders released a list of church leaders and volunteers who had been accused of sexual abuse. View a list of Indiana SBC Accused Clergy.

Sexual Abuse Claims in Fundamental Baptist churches

Hundreds of accounts of sexual abuse and molestation surfaced against numerous fundamental Baptist churches following an investigation by Fort Worth, Texas based newspaper the Star-Telegram. The media outlet conducted an eight-month investigation into claims of sexual abuse and molestation in 2018 after two men were arrested on charges of sexual abuse at a Mesquite, Texas, church. The investigation uncovered an alarming number of independent fundamental Baptist churches and affiliated institutions with numerous accusations of sexual abuse. By the Star-Telegram’s own report, it counted 187 separate entities involved in more than 412 allegations of sexual misconduct against youth and adults who attended or were employed by the churches throughout the United States. Some alleged abusers had dozens of accusations against them. Many of the victims were girls between the ages of 14 and 18. The majority of the sexual abuse claims are centralized in the Midwest, including Ohio and Indiana.

The investigation uncovered the fact that many alleged abusers did not face any criminal charges. Instead, these church leaders were often transferred to another church outside of the city where the alleged abuse occurred. Unlike the Catholic Church, the fundamental Baptist church considers itself to be made up of independent entities. However, many of these churches have affiliations through theological colleges or pastoral friendships. This system allowed accused abusers to leave the church communities where the sexual abuse or misconduct occurred and relocate to a new area. And similar to the Catholic Church, many of the victims of sexual abuse in the Baptist church reported the same feelings of shame and guilt associated with the abuse and a fear of coming forward to report the pastor or clergy member.

How Much Has the Southern Baptist Church Paid in Settlements Nationwide?

Investigations into the Southern Baptist Church found that the church willfully covered up sexual abuse reports over several years. Many survivors have stepped forward, retained a sexual abuse lawyer and have taken legal action against the convention.

Often, these cases are settled outside of the courtroom and the details are kept confidential. It is unknown how much the Southern Baptist Church has paid in settlements nationwide.

However, we can compare the average settlement amount in cases involving the Catholic Church, which is around $300,000-$400,000. To date, the Catholic Church has paid more than $3 billion in compensation to victims of sexual abuse.

A settlement was recently reached in the case against Paul Pressler, former vice president of the Southern Baptist Convention, ending six years of legal drama. The settlement is confidential, but we do know that Pressler paid the plaintiff a $450,000 settlement in 2004 for physical assault.

More than 700 victims have accused more than 300 Southern Baptist church leaders of sexual abuse since 1998.

The Southern Baptist Church has a history of covering up reports.

In 2022, investigations uncovered that one of the church lawyers kept a secret list of accused abusers. He refused to make the list public or share it, as he claimed it prevented the abusers from continuing to work in the church.

Victims of sexual abuse under the Southern Baptist Church can take legal action and seek damages for:

Medical care related to the abuse, including the cost of past and future hospitalization, medication, therapy, and other medical-related costs.
Physical pain and suffering.
Emotional trauma.
Loss of income related to the abuse.

If you were the victim of sexual abuse at the hands of a member of the Southern Baptist Church, you may be entitled to compensation. Stepping forward and telling your story can help prevent future cases of abuse.

Religious organizations should be held accountable for their failure to take action and support members of their congregation who are victims of sexual abuse.

Sexual Abuse in the United Methodist Church

There have been claims of sexual abuse within the United Methodist Church. That includes ministers that have been sentenced after child pornography claims. There is also evidence of claims from many people brought against religious members for assaults and battery. Even as the organization recognizes that these risks exist and that it has resources and tools in place to educate and protect against them, claims continue to occur.

As more sexual abuse victims come forward and tell their stories, the Fundamental Baptist church has yet to take action to address these reports.

Types of Abuse

Sexual abuse can occur in many forms. No matter what type of abuse you’ve suffered, we encourage you to reach out to our church sexual abuse lawyers immediately for guidance and support. Our team is here to help you even if you are unsure you have a case. We’re passionate about supporting your needs.

These are some examples of the types of sexual abuse that can occur in a church or religious setting. These are just examples and are not fully indicative of what could occur.

- Sexual abuse may include members of the clergy using their position to exploit or harm others
- Sexual violence may occur in which physical abuse in some way occurs
- Sexualized conversations
- Hugging or touching without consent
- Creating a hostile environment
- Pressuring for sexual involvement
- Jokes and unwanted sexual language use
- Adult-sexual abuse
- Child sexual abuse

Many people can be abused as well. That includes both men and women. It may seem that only women may suffer this type of abuse due to religious beliefs, but that’s not the case. More so, it can happen to people of all ethnic backgrounds, all types of religious backgrounds, and of all ages. It is most common for this type of abuse to occur in children or minors under the age of 18 as well as those who are younger adults, but it can occur to people of any age.

How Much Has the Mormon Church Paid in Settlements Nationwide?

Many victims seek the guidance of a sexual abuse lawyer who will fight back against the powerful Mormon Church. We don’t know the exact figure that the Mormon Church has paid out in settlements, but Floodlit does have a database with settlements that you can view.

Victims can opt to remain anonymous, which is why you’ll see many with the name “John Doe.” The reason for remaining anonymous can vary, but victims may still have close ties to friends or family who are members of the church and do not want to lose friendships or relationships in the process.

Often, settlement amounts are also undisclosed.

The settlements that we do have data on include:

Charles John Blome admitted to molesting five boys and pled guilty to counts of indecency. He was sentenced to prison and died in 2005. The LDS was ordered by the court to pay one 13-year-old victim $4 million after the jury found the bishops failed to protect the child.
2001: A civil suit against the Mormon Church led to a $3 million settlement because the church never warned the parents that the person whom they were letting into their home was accused of sexual abuse. It is alleged that the abuser abused as many as 20 additional boys.

The Mormon Church is known for silencing victims and covering up claims of abuse and decades of failing to protect victims led to many children suffering because claims were never taken seriously by the Church.

Sadly, cases are still being filed where the Church failed to protect children even after complaints were filed against clergy members.

How Much Have the Jehovah’s Witnesses Paid in Settlements Nationwide?

The exact number of lawsuits filed against the Jehovah’s Witness congregation is unknown. However, several victims have taken the Watchtower and their abusers to court. Many of these cases are settled outside of the courtroom and their results remain confidential.

For example, a high-profile case was settled in 2017 for a confidential amount. Under the confidential settlement agreement, all parties are barred from talking about the case or disclosing the amount awarded.

However, other cases and their settlement amounts have made headlines.

A $40 million settlement was awarded in a lawsuit against the Makaha Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses and elder Keneth L. Apana.
A $2.8 million settlement was upheld by the California appeals court in a lawsuit alleging the Watchtower failed to protect a nine-year-old child during field service, who was sexually assaulted by another member.
A $28 million settlement was awarded in 2012 to a victim who was molested by an adult member of the organization when she was a child.
The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York was ordered to pay $13.5 million in damages to another victim of sexual abuse.

There are likely many more settlements that have been reached. The exact amount paid by the Jehovah’s Witnesses organization is unknown.

If you were the victim of abuse under the Jehovah’s Witnesses organization, a sexual abuse lawyer can help you seek compensation and justice. When you step forward and take legal action, you give voice to other victims and help prevent future cases of abuse.

Recent Reports of Church Sexual Abuse

After reports of widespread sexual abuse in Southern Baptist Church, a church in Austin holds panel- KXAN, February 2019

A report published by the Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express-News found around 380 Southern Baptist Church leaders and volunteers faced allegations of sexual misconduct over the course of several years. An Austin Baptist Church hosted a panel to address concerns of its congregation about sexual abuse prevention and support for sexual abuse survivors.

Roncalli High School chaplain suspended amid sex abuse allegation, Archdiocese says- Indianapolis Star, February 2019

Fr. David Marcotte was suspended from ministry after a minor came forward accusing the priest of sexual abuse in 2016. The Archdiocese stated that it received the report of abuse from its victim assistance coordinator. Fr. Marcotte’s posts include serving as a chaplain at Roncalli and as a Catholic chaplain at the University of Indianapolis. He also served at SS. Francis and Clare Parish in Greenwood.

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Statute of Limitations

Taking action immediately is always recommended. There is a Statute of Limitations that may play a role in your ability to file a claim. Civil lawsuits are bound by this statute, which means that you cannot pursue legal action against someone beyond a specific timeframe. This can vary by location.

In Indiana, childhood sexual abuse cases may be filed within seven years of a child’s 18th birthday or within four years from the end of a dependency on the sexual abuser.

Claim Process

A core component of taking action is to reach out to a highly experienced church sexual abuse lawyer. Even though you may believe that the religious organization will take action to help you, they also have very powerful attorneys that could work to reduce any claims you make.

Our team will help you make a claim properly. This includes gathering any available evidence. We will then work to hold the church or other religious organizations accountable. If we can prove that the religious organization had knowledge of the abuse occurring, such as having received a report of the abuse but failed to take action, we may be able to help you obtain compensation for your losses.

The claims process often focuses first on finding evidence and then approaching the appropriate organization with the claim. We highly recommend having our church sexual abuse lawyer by your side. Do not file a claim or accept any type of financial restitution from the organization until you know your attorney is there to support you and encourage you to do so.

Explanation of Damages

The losses a person suffers as a result of sexual abuse at the hands of a religious organization member will vary from one person to the next. Yet, in every situation, our goal is to determine how it has impacted you and, from there, what steps we can take to help you receive financial compensation for the losses you’ve incurred. Some examples of how this may apply include the following:

Medical costs related to the abuse
Psychological counseling costs related to the abuse
Lost income or earning capacity related to the abuse
Emotional distress claims
Loss of life enjoyment
Depression, anxiety, and the onset of other mental health disorders

Our church sexual abuse lawyer at CohenMalad, LLP will provide compassion and support as we help you to understand the details of your case. We will then work hard to prove your case and help you receive compensation for the losses you’ve experienced as a result of that abuse.

Resources for Survivors

The following are some sources that may be able to help you.

Other Types Of Sexual Abuse Cases We Handle

We are proud to help families heal through the legal pursuit of sexual abuse claims. Here are a few more specific examples of cases we’ve handled.

Experienced Sexual Abuse Lawyers

If you, your child, or someone else you know is a victim of sexual abuse or molestation, contact us. Our attorneys have helped many families get compensation to pay for the help they need in order to heal after sexual abuse. We understand the sensitive nature of this type of lawsuit and prioritize our clients’ privacy and trust while fighting to get them the compensation they need to assist them in healing and coping with sexual abuse.

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