The Roman Catholic Church has recently had to own up to its history of concealing the widespread sexual abuse of minors by clergy. For a long time, a strict deadline for filing clergy sex abuse lawsuits has prevented or delayed justice for many childhood sexual abuse victims.
Fortunately, state legislatures across the U.S have taken action to allow victims to file lawsuits and seek compensation for their damages. This move has caused a severe financial burden for some catholic dioceses responsible for the victim’s damages.
In fact, some, like the Diocese of Santa Rosa in California, are making proactive efforts to offset their monetary losses by compensating the victims. The diocese’s bishop said they would declare bankruptcy because they face too many lawsuits.
If you are a survivor of clergy childhood sexual abuse, you should work with a lawyer to seek the justice you deserve. But first, read this post to understand why the Santa Rosa Diocese’ filed for bankruptcy.
Catholic Church is Known for Whitewashing Child Sexual Abuse
The charges against the Diocese of Santa Rosa exemplify how the Roman Catholic Church has been plausibly accused of deliberately defending perpetrators or disregarding misconduct allegations.
Several reports have substantiated the rampant sexual abuse of kids. A recent report published by the Maryland Attorney General’s office revealed that for decades, about 150 members of the clergy sexually molested over 600 children. Sadly, this tale is not exclusive to Maryland.
Childhood sexual abuse victims across the U.S. are filing lawsuits against the Roman Catholic Church and other organizations that failed to report or cover up the abuse committed by their clergy.
They claim clergy members sexually assaulted them as children by exposing them to pornographic material, touching, and raping them. In other instances, the abuse involved assault, emotional manipulation, or forcing children to use alcohol or drugs.
The perpetrators frequently used religious stigmas associated with sex and homosexuality to intimidate victims into silence. Years after, these actions had monetary and psychological effects that still affect the survivors today.
Diocese of Santa Rosa is Criticized for Bankruptcy Declaration
The Catholic Church’s reputation and finances have suffered due to claims of child sexual abuse by priests.
According to Pew Research, about a quarter of active congregants have reduced their financial support for the Catholic Church due to the increased public spotlight on the Church’s inability to deal with predatory clergy.
Some dioceses are also in financial crisis because they are held accountable for the survivors’ damages.
Bishop Robert Vasa asserts that the Diocese of Santa Rosa has to contend with approximately 200 clergy sex abuse lawsuits, whose appraised value is equal to or greater than the diocese’s projected assets. The diocese has thus filed for bankruptcy.
These allegations only became possible when a new California legislation allowed victims of childhood sex abuse three years to file lawsuits.
This legislation is essential in enabling survivors to seek justice since most individuals who were sexually assaulted as children fail to report the assault immediately.
Lawyers of victims of clergy sex abuse claim that the Santa Rosa Diocese’s assertions that it lacks sufficient resources are just an excuse to hide the actual size of its assets from clergy sex abuse lawsuits.
The Diocese is doing this to keep its schools and parishes out of bankruptcy since they were determined as independent entities about five years ago.
According to survivors’ lawyers, withholding specific assets owned by the Church would successfully reduce the compensation that victims may get, adding to the damage already done.
Compensation in Clergy Sex Abuse Lawsuits
Plaintiffs in the clergy sex abuse cases lawsuits spoke about how the childhood ordeal has affected them.
Victims can suffer from mental health problems such as depression, addiction, or PTSD, impacting their work, interpersonal relationships, and general quality of life.
Trauma significantly affects the mental well-being and financial security of a person. Compensatory damages in personal injury lawsuits are meant to compensate for such damages.
Plaintiffs may pursue economic damages for their financial losses, including the cost of therapy. They may also seek non-economic damages, compensating for any hidden losses the aggrieved party suffers.
Damages in clergy sex abuse lawsuits include the following:
- Loss of career opportunities
- Lost wages
- Medical costs
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of quality of life
- Emotional distress
Speak to a Clergy Sex Abuse Lawyer Today
Child sex abuse survivors deserve compensation for the trauma suffered due to the negligence of the Catholic Church clergy.
At Legal Giant, we know that the impacts of sexual abuse linger even into adulthood and are dedicated to helping you hold negligent institutions liable for their actions.
We can only do this by connecting you with an experienced lawyer who will help you seek justice for the physical, emotional, and monetary damage you suffered.
Our partner sex abuse lawyers will gather the evidence to support your claim, file a clergy sex abuse lawsuit, represent you in court, and aggressively negotiate fair compensation.
Contact us today for a free consultation and review of your case.
