Sexual Assault Lawsuits Against Church and Boy Scouts Leaders
240 Years of Combined Experience Taking On Those Who Harm Others
The veil of silence has lifted and sexual abuse victims and their supporters are ready and willing to hold abusers accountable for their actions. At Lerner and Rowe Injury Attorneys, our legal team has the utmost compassion for those who were taken advantage of and subjected to these types of grievous acts.
If you or a loved one were the victim of sexual abuse by a clergyman, scout leader, or another person in a position of leadership – we know that it was not your fault. Please contact us today for a free, confidential consultation, as you may be entitled to financial compensation for pain, suffering, mental anguish, emotional distress, and other damages.
Sexual Abuse by Predators
Sexual predators often abuse positions of trust and leadership. They will either slowly pursue a victim, or abruptly force themselves on an unsuspecting innocent.
These acts of abuse vary in degree, and may include:
- Inappropriate touching
- Inappropriate sex talk
- Exposure to lewd images/pornography
- Sexual assault
- Physical assault
Further, abusers can be found in positions of power within youth development organizations, religious denominations, schools, medical care facilities, and individual family groups.
When such people force unwanted sexual experiences on another who is under their leadership, it’s a violation of trust. It is also an act of violence against the child or adult who was coerced into it. Additionally, these personal violations can manifest into a lifetime of pain and suffering, as well as mental anguish and emotional scarring for the victim.
Sexual Abusers Exposed
Partly because of media exposure, the general public has had their eyes opened. The public now knows of multiple organizations and religious groups who have been accused of trying to defer negative attention away from alleged sexual abusers associated with them.
As such, more and more sexual abuse survivors have come forward as adults to seek justice against those who harmed them as children. Further, young boys and teens who once felt shame and fear at the hands of an abusive adult are finding the courage to speak up about those who harmed them.
Two of the most widely known entities linked to large-scale allegations of sexual abuse include the Boys Scouts of America and the Catholic Church.
Boys Scouts of America
Recent findings shed an unbecoming light on the Boys Scouts of America and gained the attention of national media and law firms. Five years ago the youth development organization contracted Dr. Janet Warren, a sex offender expert, to look through 72 years of files that were flagged as the “Ineligible Volunteer Files.” These perversion files were broken into five categories to include sexual misconduct. They also include the names of revoked individuals who were no longer welcome in the Boy Scouts because of allegations of child sexual abuse.
After Dr. Warren’s team organized the data, two lists evolved. One list names 12,254 alleged victims of sexual abuse. The other lists the names of 7,819 alleged child sexual abusers, as well as their city and troop number.
Those currently defending the rights of sexual abuse victims state that the existence of these files is a clear indication that the Boy Scouts had longstanding knowledge that sexual offenses occurred within their organization for decades.
If you or your child was the victim of sexual abuse by a troop leader, please contact us to learn more about your legal rights. Our nationally-recognized attorneys have over 240 years of combined experience representing those harmed across the United States.
Catholic Church
Over the last two decades Catholic priests, nuns, and other members of the religious order have been immersed in allegations of sexual abuse against minors, seminarians, and other people who placed these religious figures in a position of trust.
Further, members within the church hierarchy have also been accused of covering up sexual abuse allegations, even going so far as to just move the accused priests to other parishes without taking steps to lessen contact with any new, unsuspecting victims. Hence, their lack of action is said to have resulted in additional cases of abuse that could have been prevented.
These allegations began to unfold even more and gained momentum after a Pennsylvania grand jury shared a report in August 2018 that listed 1,000 of cases of sexual abuse linked to hundreds of Catholic priests.
However, the Catholic Church is not the only religious group to face allegations of sexual abuse.
The Southern Baptist Convention faced its own sex abuse scandal in February 2016. This occurred after the Houston Chronicle and the San Antonio Express-News reported that hundreds of Southern Baptist clergy and staff were accused of sexual misconduct against more than 700 victims over the past 20 years. These numbers are said to include dozens of offenders who left and then returned to church duties.
Are you or a loved one the survivor of sexual abuse by a priest or other member of the clergy? At Lerner and Rowe Injury Attorneys, your story will be heard. Please connect with us to share how you’ve been affected by such a life-changing event.
Healing & Hope for Sexual Abuse Survivors
Survivors of sexual abuse may hesitate to come forward. Please know that if you were a victim of sexual abuse at the hands of a person in power at a church, youth development organization, medical care facility, or another group setting, we are here to listen and go over any legal rights. Ultimately, we want to seek justice on your behalf and help you get the care you need to heal from these physical, emotional, and mental acts of abuse.
The confidential consultation is free. You are also free of any obligation to hire us. We just want you to be aware of any legal options available to you.
Contacts us now by calling 844-977-1900, via our online LiveChat feature, or by filling out a form online. Our 24/7 team of attorneys will not shy away from taking a stand on your behalf. We are prepared to fight for you!