Advocates and therapists for survivors of male sex abuse say the recent scandals at Penn State and elsewhere may help men who were abused as children, and boys being abused today, step out of the shadows and get the support they deserve. They also hope society can become better educated about the issue. “The allegations have kick-started a public dialogue about sexual violence and the community’s responsibility,” says Jennifer Marsh, who directs hotlines at RAINN, the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network. “It’s a conversation we have to have and can’t shy away from.
News & Events
With just weeks to go before a Feb. 1 deadline in its bankruptcy, the Archdiocese of Milwaukee is casting a wide net in search of clergy sex abuse victims who might seek to file claims, publishing ads in state and national newspapers and asking its parishes and schools to spread the word. At the same time, victims advocates say, the archdiocese is embarking on a legal strategy that could result in the vast majority of the nearly 200 sex abuse claims filed to date being thrown out of court, leaving those victims ineligible for a financial settlement from the church – and perhaps changing the…
The death of journalist and polemicist Christopher Hitchens last month gave those familiar with his work a chance to revisit one of his more controversial subjects: the Albanian nun Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu, better known to the world as Mother Teresa. In his 1997 book, The Missionary Position: Mother Teresa in Theory and Practice, Hitchens argued that the “Saint of Calcutta,” who founded and headed the international Missionaries of Charity order, enjoyed undeserved esteem.Despite her humanitarian reputation and 1979 Nobel Peace Prize, Mother Teresa had set up a worldwide system of “homes for the …
This morning we argued in front of the Minnesota Supreme Court on behalf of sexual abuse survivor Jim Keenan. Pictured above are the three co-counsels: Mike Finnegan on the left, myself, and Jeff Anderson on the right. The case, John Doe 76c v. Archdiocese of Minneapolis/St. Paul and the Diocese of Winona, is on appeal over whether evidence about repressed memories can be used in court. The case was dismissed by the District Court last year when the Judge ruled that experts cannot testify about repressed memories.
Stories of child sexual abuse dominated the headlines in 2011, but because the alleged crimes happened so long ago, few of the victims in those cases were able to sue their abusers.
After Rev. Bartley A. Sorensen, pastor at St. John Fisher Catholic Church in Churchville, Pennsylvania was arrested December 10th and charged with possession of child pornography, a bishop called on the congregation to report any suspected sexual abuse by the priest to a Catholic hotline. Incredibly he made no mention of calling the police.
As feared, Rev. Uriel Ojeda has been deemed a flight risk, and the court today delayed Rev. Ojeda’s bail hearing until January. In our blog on December 1, 2011, I wrote of the hope that this predator not be permitted to flee the country to Mexico, as no less than six other priests facing credible allegations of sexual abuse in the Diocese of Sacramento have done. Here we see the very same risk. The courts should ensure that Rev. Ojeda is not permitted to flee the country and is made to face the allegations of child molestation of which he is accused.
A local priest who was arrested on child pornography charges was allegedly traveling overseas to an area notorious for its sex industry. Sources close to the investigation told the KDKA Investigators that Fr. Bartl Sorensen travelled to Amsterdam several times. This information, along with thousands of new images found in Fr. Sorensen’s bedroom has investigators concerned he may have had sexual contact with children. According to sources, investigators are now looking through thousands of pornographic images found following a search of the rectory at St. John Fisher …
A lawsuit filed against The Citadel on Wednesday seeks a court mandate that would require the military college to report all child sexual abuse complaints or face contempt charges. Attorneys Jeff Anderson and Gregg Meyers filed suit against The Citadel on behalf of the mother of a young man who allegedly was sexually abused by Louis “Skip” ReVille after the school failed to report a complaint about the former cadet. The lawsuit alleges that The Citadel was grossly negligent in not reporting a former summer camper’s claim that ReVille showed young boys porn and masturbated with them at The Ci…
The first suit against The Citadel for the school’s role in the Louis “Skip” ReVille case was filed Wednesday. One of the attorneys, Jeff Anderson, is the same man who’s filed similar suits against Penn State and Syracuse. “Some people think this lawsuit is designed to take The Citadel down, but frankly it’s designed to help them clean it up,” Anderson said. Attorneys say the child did not attend the military college, but claims since The Citadel’s leaders failed to report sexual allegations made about ReVille to law enforcement. Attorneys claim The Citadel is part…
At a news conference on Wednesday in Charleston, South Carolina, Attorneys Jeff Anderson and Gregg Meyers will announce a civil lawsuit to be filed on behalf of the mother of young man who as a child was sexually abused by Louis ReVille on numerous occasions over a time span of more than a year. The complaint, to be filed tomorrow (Wednesday) in Charleston County Court of Common Pleas names The Citadel as the sole defendant, and claims the college was grossly negligent in not reporting knowledge of previous abuse by ReVille, and thus, allowed her son to be sexually assaulted.
At a news conference on Tuesday in St. Paul, attorneys for a Virginia man, who lived in St. Cloud as a child, will announce a lawsuit against the Diocese of St. Cloud and Michael Weber. The lawsuit, to be filed in Hennepin County District Court, will address sexual abuse suffered by the child while vacationing with his family at a Minnesota lake. The victim, identified in the complaint as “John Doe HT”, wishes to keep his identity confidential, but will read a statement and answer questions from the media by phone.
At a news conference today in Pittsburgh, Attorneys Jeff Anderson and Alan Perer will announce a civil lawsuit to be filed on behalf of Zach Tomaselli. Tomaselli, the 23 year-old Maine man who claims that as a 13 year-old he was sexually abused by Bernie Fine in a Pittsburgh hotel room will attend the news conference and speak to his abuse. The complaint, to be filed today in Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas names Fine as the sole defendant.
Mr. Anderson said his client hadn’t spoken of the alleged abuse until other
stories were made public through the grand-jury report.
“This kid suffered in secrecy and in silence and shame thinking he was the
only one and never told a soul until the revelations came out about other kids
and a coverup,” Mr. Anderson said. “That’s what caused him to come forward and
break the silence.”
In a statement released by Mr. Anderson, the plaintiff said he had never told
anyone about being abused by Mr. Sandusky “until the newspapers reported that he
had abused other kids.” He said, “I am hu…