Historic settlement for over 1,300 survivors of clergy and adult abuse within the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles, marking a pivotal moment for justice.
October 22, 2024
Efforts by Pope Francis to address global clergy sex abuse in the Catholic Church have failed, according to victims and other advocates. In an article published by the National Catholic Reporter (NCR), plans unveiled at a summit of bishops in 2019 are no better at protecting abuse victims today than before. Many argue that a mandatory reporting law that emerged from the meeting remains cloaked in secrecy. The Vatican still has not released any information regarding how many bishops are under investigation or have been sanctioned. Even the Pope’s Child Protection Advisory Commission acknowledges that victims continue facing an uphill battle.
Conflicts of interest within the Catholic Church are a barrier to justice. Bishops with personal or professional ties to accused priests conduct investigations and render judgments. This compromises the process, affecting both the accused and the victims.
To put it in perspective, imagine a high-ranking corporate official accused of embezzlement, with the investigation handled by a close colleague and mentor. Such personal connections can lead to biased outcomes, undue leniency or unfair prejudice, undermining the investigation’s integrity. Similarly, the internal handling of sex abuse cases often fails to deliver fair and transparent results because of this inherent conflict of interest.
While church sex abuse victims were finally able to tell their stories to bishops during the 2019 summit, their involvement ended there. In canonical investigations, victims still have no right to participate in proceedings, access case files or even know if an investigation is underway. These victims are treated as third-party witnesses, often ostracized for coming forward and retraumatized. One former Scottish priest who accused the late Scottish Cardinal Keith O’Brien of abuse, told NCR that victims who go through the process “end up with bigger problems than they had before they started it.”
Seeking Justice and Accountability
Many legal experts believe church sex abuse victims should bypass the church justice system altogether because of its failings and go directly to the secular court system where there is more accountability. In addition, they argue the Vatican should publish the outcome of investigations, allowing the public to see how abuse cases are handled. This transparency would not only hold the church more accountable but also provide bishops with a clearer understanding of how similar cases have been treated, leading to better outcomes for future victims when they come forward with their stories.
The lack of accountability is underscored in a long-awaited report by Maryland’s attorney general that highlights the Catholic Church’s failure to address abuse and its efforts to cover up evidence, silence accusers, and reassign abusers. The investigation uncovered that over 600 children were molested by 150 Catholic priests and others in the Archdiocese of Baltimore over 80 years. For more details, read our full article here.
How We Help Sex Abuse Victims
Our national sexual abuse lawyers work one-on-one with survivors, offering a direct, personal level of care and discretion. We use our decades of experience battling big organizations to fight on behalf of survivors, aggressively taking on those responsible for causing pain and suffering. If you are a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, we can help.
Our Results
Historic settlement for over 1,300 survivors of clergy and adult abuse within the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles, marking a pivotal moment for justice.
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