Clergy of every religion are trusted by practitioners everywhere to comfort the afflicted, provide hope for those in distress, and encourage growth in their faith. Yet, in far too many instances, these leaders have abused their authority and harmed vulnerable, powerless, and confused victims. Thousands of priests and other clergy have been credibly accused of sexual abuse, but so few have been brought to justice. If you have suffered sexual abuse at the hands of clergy, we want you to know that you are not alone. In addition to several resources designed to provide support and care, you have the option to pursue a legal case.
What Is Clergy Sexual Abuse?
Clergy sexual abuse comes in many forms, not all of which may be evident to victims or their families. Many individuals falsely believe that only the young can be victims. But while children are often preyed upon, adults can also be targeted for grooming, exploitation, and assault.
Sexual abuse itself can be tough to define, but it is broadly understood to mean violating, mistreating, and ultimately taking advantage of someone for the abuser's gain. There is often an imbalance of power that enables the abuser to manipulate the victim. Ultimately, the victim is used for the abuser's sexual gratification with little to no regard for the immense consequences and suffering that the victim will endure.
Is Clergy Sexual Abuse Limited to the Catholic Church?
In recent years, the Catholic Church has come under fire for not only permitting abuse to fester in its ranks but for actively taking steps to cover it up and protect the guilty parties.
However, sexual abuse is certainly not limited to the Church. Clergy in other religious groups including Southern Baptists, United Methodists, Jews, and Muslims have been named as abusers. The simple fact is, sexual abuse can happen in any religion.
What Legal Challenges Do Survivors Face When Pursuing Justice for Clergy Abuse?
Pursuing abusive clergy and working to hold them accountable in court is sometimes easier said than done. Although victims have the right to seek civil damages with a sexual abuse lawyer's help from those who abused them, along with the religious institutions and organizations that covered up the abuse, there are challenges in doing so. These are a few examples:
Statutes of Limitations
A statute of limitations is a deadline to file a civil lawsuit against the at-fault party. Each state has its statute of limitations system for handling sexual abuse claims. However, some states are more generous than others.
The problem is that many incidents of clergy abuse are committed against children or even adults who simply do not understand what happened. A restrictive deadline makes it more difficult for the victim to seek justice.
Bankruptcy
The claims against religious institutions are in some cases quite numerous and lead to substantial monetary awards. Either to attempt to avoid paying or because they do not have the funds, many of these defendants decide to file for bankruptcy. Although doing so does not automatically let the liable party off the hook, it does introduce a new dynamic, delays justice for clergy sexual abuse victims, and threatens to undo the hard work that was put into winning compensation.
Refusal to Cooperate
Civil claims are much easier to litigate when the defendants, and those associated with them, are cooperative. However, the reluctance of clergy to even acknowledge the abuse complicates the matter. This, in turn, causes those who have been accused of engaging in sexual abuse to stonewall investigations and the discovery process, both of which are crucial to amassing the evidence that victims need to support their claims.
Gathering Evidence in a Clergy Abuse Case
Victims of clergy sexual abuse bear the burden of proving their allegations, which means they need strong evidence to do so. Working with experienced legal counsel, they will take such steps as:
Preserving Proof of the Abuse
This will vary from one case to another. There may be photographs, videos, or even text messages and call records. Anything that documents physical injuries such as bruises will also prove helpful.
Preserving the evidence becomes more difficult with time, but anything in your possession should be turned over to an experienced attorney.
Collecting Documents and Records About the Effects of the Abuse
Clergy sexual abuse inflicts enormous mental, psychological, and physical tolls on victims. If you have medical, therapy, counseling, or hospital records and reports of any kind, start collecting those now. These and other documents will be useful in determining an appropriate amount of monetary compensation to request in court.
Eyewitness Accounts
Not all abuse happens in isolation from other people, and many victims share their stories soon after the events in question but long before taking legal action. These are two areas in which having eyewitness testimony will help.
Neutral third-party witnesses (those, for instance, who are not related to the victim) are often viewed as objective and reliable because they have no stake in the outcome of the case. But the testimony of any witness to the clergy sexual abuse itself, or attempts to cover it up, will strengthen your case.
Your Personal Journals
Many victims keep diaries and journals about their experiences as well as the consequences of their abuse. These records are especially valuable when they are made fairly close in time to the incident in question; however, any recollections about what happened will help you. If you've never written about the abuse you can do so now, based on what you can still remember.
What Motivates Survivors to Come Forward Years After Clergy Abuse?
It's an understatement to say that reporting clergy sexual abuse is difficult. Many victims wait years to step forward and discuss what happened. This leads some skeptics to question why they took so much time to do so, but there are several explanations:
Respect for the Religion
Many victims are reluctant to step forward because they know that even an accusation can be damaging to the faith they at least once cherished. Perhaps a family member has asked them to remain quiet to avoid embarrassing a church or other institution. Maybe it would even lead others to question their faith, a burden that a victim doesn't want.
It all boils down to not wanting to bring ill repute to the religion, even though its clergy actively harmed them.
Discouragement
Some victims have tried to tell their stories but were met with backlash. They've been called liars, opportunists, attention-seeking, or simply mistaken about their experiences.
Victims who were abused as children, and then attempted to report it, have often faced these accusations and have had their stories dismissed. The discouragement stuck with them for years.
Grooming
Clergy sexual abuse often happens through the abuser's attempts to grow close to children and their families, earning their trust and forming a close bond. Even when this relationship is grossly violated, however, there is sometimes a complex emotional attachment between abuser and victim. This makes it much less likely that the victim will report the abuse.
Trauma
Sexual abuse can be overwhelming, especially to children. They are in pain but don't understand why; they realize something is wrong, but cannot quite identify it.
Both children and adults often respond to this trauma by shutting down and closing off their thoughts. Only years later do these memories resurface and motivate them to expose the truth.
Isolation
It is not uncommon for abuse victims to isolate themselves. They might feel that nobody can understand their experiences or that they are too ashamed to talk about them. This, in turn, could lead to self-harming practices as the victim tries anything to forget about the abuse.
We want you to know that regardless of your circumstances, you are not alone and there are resources to help you (see below).
Are Survivors Entitled to Anonymity in Clergy Abuse Cases?
Every state has its own rules about anonymity when it comes to reporting sexual abuse. California is particularly generous with its provisions that allow anonymous filing of civil lawsuits. Your state may be as well.
Talk to an attorney about how best to protect your privacy during the emotionally taxing experience of pursuing justice.
The Statute of Limitations on Clergy Abuse in California State
An adult victim of clergy abuse has 10 years from the date of the assault to file a civil lawsuit. Under an old law, childhood victims of sexual abuse had until age 40, or within five years of the discovery of trauma related to the assault, to file suit.
As of 2024, however, California eliminated the statute of limitations in cases of child sexual abuse that occur after January 1, 2024. This means that any civil lawsuit concerning such abuse that occurs after this date is no longer subject to a filing deadline. The previous statute of limitations described above is still in effect for incidents that occurred before January 1, 2024.
It is important to not allow the statute of limitations to run since doing so could permanently deprive you of your right to seek compensation.
What Is California Doing to Prevent Clergy Sexual Abuse in the Future?
Under recently enacted legislation, California religious institutions are now categorized as mandatory reporters. This means that clergy and others who learn about child sexual abuse must report it to authorities. The new law also requires training for mandated reporters, background checks, and implementing policies and procedures to prevent abuse.
Resources for Clergy Sexual Abuse Survivors
Victims face challenges in coping with and healing from their experiences as clergy abuse victims. Fortunately, there are resources for clergy abuse victims, including:
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Physical health treatment
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Mental health services
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Counseling, therapy, and trauma services
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Support groups and hotlines
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Financial resources
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Legal representation
We encourage you to reach out to us so we can connect you with someone who can help you handle your experience and exercise your legal rights.
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