In 2013 the Minnesota legislature passed the Child Victims Act. Since then, hundreds of sexual abuse survivors have stepped out of the shadows of secrecy, silence and shame, to seek justice for the abuse they suffered as children. Because of the Child Victims Act, at least 200 sexual predators were exposed to the public, making our communities safer for our children.
In July 2013, The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis released a list of 33 priests credibly accused of child sexual abuse. That list has more than doubled and now stands at 69 with more names to come. The Diocese of Duluth, Diocese of New Ulm, Diocese of Crookston, and Diocese of Winona have all released lists of priest abusers. Religious Orders like St. John’s, the Crosiers and the Oblates have also released lists of priests accused of child sex abuse. Additionally, thousands of pages of once-secret, internal documents have been disgorged to the public, holding several institutions legally accountable and forcing them to become more transparent.
For those who have yet to come forward, we urge you to take action now. Do not hesitate. The deadline to bring a claim, May 25, is less than two weeks away. Your privacy will be protected and you can speak with one our advocates safely and confidentially.
The journey has only just started. There is still a long road ahead and we will continue to fight together on behalf of survivors of sexual abuse to hold those accountable that failed to protect children. We urge anyone with information or who experienced sexual abuse as a child to come forward and seek help. Do it now, before it’s too late.