New law allows more time for survivors to come forward, expose abusers, and stop the cover-up(Honolulu, HI) – On Wednesday, July 11 2018, Attorney Mark Gallagher, the law firm Jeff Anderson & Associates, and sexual abuse advocates and survivors will:• Release a new report containing the identities, histories and background information on dozens of priests and clerics accused of child sexual abuse in the Diocese of Honolulu;• Show how high ranking church officials knew that Bishop Joseph Ferrario had sexually molested children before he became a bishop…
News & Events
Attorneys Mike Reck and Jeff Anderson, along with survivor Matthew Golden, demand that the Bishop, Review Board and top officials of the Buffalo Diocese give a transparent and open explanation of Fr. Riter’s return to ministry (Buffalo, New York) – Last Thursday, without explanation or notification to survivors, Matthew Golden opened up the newspaper to read that the man who sexually abused him as a child, Father Dennis Riter, was being returned to ministry after the Diocese of Buffalo, Bishop Richard Malone, Investigator Scott Riordan and the Diocesan Review Board determined that the…
“Unfortunately, the Bishop has chosen to support a priest accused of abusing multiple children.” – Attorney Mike Reck(Buffalo, New York) – The Diocese of Buffalo made a startling and dangerous decision yesterday when it reinstated Fr. Dennis G. Riter who is accused of sexually abusing multiple children. The survivor who reported Fr. Riter says that he is “morally compelled to not walk away,” said Mike Reck, an attorney for the survivor, who added that the diocese needs to acknowledge that Riter is a public safety threat and reverse its decision immediately.“As long as the Diocese of Buffalo…
(Minneapolis, MN) – Today in United States Bankruptcy Court, a joint reorganization plan between sexual abuse survivors and the Archdiocese of Saint Paul & Minneapolis was filed. “This is an important day for sexual abuse survivors,” said Attorney Mike Finnegan. “The filing of the joint reorganization plan is another step toward resolution. Thank you to all of the survivors who stood up and spoke their truths. Your voices were heard.” A hearing date to approve the disclosure statement has been scheduled for August 9th. Disclosure Statement for Joint Plan 6-28-18Joint Plan of…
National
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Awareness Month is observed each year in
the month of June to recognize the impact that PTSD has on the lives of those
who are affected by it. According to the National Center
for PTSD,
about seven or eight of every 100 people will experience PTSD at some point in
their lives. Women are more than twice as likely as men to
develop PTSD, and survivors of sexual abuse are particularly at risk.
The
National
Institute of Mental Health charac…
News that a boy’s severe stomach pain led to the conviction of a serial child molester in Georgia recently is a reminder that adults need to be aware of common signs that a child has been abused or traumatized. And when something just doesn’t add up regarding a child’s condition, either visibly or after the child tells you something is wrong, take it seriously – ask questions, investigate and consider seeking medical help for the child. If you suspect a child has been abused, you can also contact law enforcement or a local child protection agency.In December 2016, a 15-year-old boy’s…
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Sexual Abuse Survivors and the Archdiocese of Saint Paul & Minneapolis Announce Joint Bankruptcy Plan WHAT: At a news conference today in St. Paul, sexual abuse survivors and attorneys Jeff Anderson and Mike Finnegan will discuss the consensual bankruptcy reorganization plan reached between sexual abuse survivors and the Archdiocese of Saint Paul & Minneapolis. WHEN: Today, May 31, 2018 at 1:00 PM CT WHERE: Jeff Anderson & Associates 366 Jackson Street, Suite 100 &…
Sexual Abuse Survivors and the Archdiocese of Saint Paul & Minneapolis Announce Joint Bankruptcy Plan WHAT: At a news conference today in St. Paul, sexual abuse survivors and attorneys Jeff Anderson and Mike Finnegan will discuss the consensual bankruptcy reorganization plan reached between sexual abuse survivors and the Archdiocese of Saint Paul & Minneapolis. WHEN: Today, May 31, 2018 at 1:00 PM CT WHERE: Jeff Anderson & Associates 366 Jackson Street, Suite 100 &…
Sexual Abuse Survivors and the Archdiocese of Saint Paul & Minneapolis Announce Joint Bankruptcy Plan WHAT: At a news conference today in St. Paul, sexual abuse survivors and attorneys Jeff Anderson and Mike Finnegan will discuss the consensual bankruptcy reorganization plan reached between sexual abuse survivors and the Archdiocese of Saint Paul & Minneapolis. WHEN: Today, May 31, 2018 at 1:00 PM CT WHERE: Jeff Anderson & Associates 366 Jackson Street, Suite 100 &…
Sexual Abuse Survivors and the Archdiocese of Saint Paul & Minneapolis Announce Joint Bankruptcy Plan
A new study shows that the annual economic impact of child sexual abuse in the United States exceeds $9 billion. This staggering number and the tragic conditions leading to it highlight the need for one thing:Prevention.In the study, the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found that the $9.3 billion annual economic cost of child sexual abuse included costs associated with health care, child welfare, special education, violence and crime, suicide and survivor productivity losses. The Johns Hopkins researchers stressed that the estimate of the economic burden of child sexual abuse…
All around the world, from Pennsylvania, to Chile, to Australia, the Catholic Church continues to fight truth and transparency. By now, one would hope that the institution has learned from its past mistakes when it covered up the sexual abuse of children by the Church’s priests, bishops and other clerics. Unfortunately, this is not the case.In Pennsylvania, the Attorney General is wrapping up investigations involving six Catholic dioceses, including Allentown, Scranton, Erie, Pittsburgh, Harrisburg and Greensburg. Three of the dioceses have publicly stated they will not challenge the release o…
“His purported reasoning for choosing to keep the identities of the credibly accused abusers secret is deceptive, duplicative and dishonest.” – Attorney Mike Reck (Ogdensburg, New York) – Diocese of Ogdensburg Bishop Terry LaValley’s statements to North Country Public Radio are archaic and abominable and showcase a culture of cover-up and lack of understanding. His purported reasoning for choosing to keep the identities of the credibly accused abusers secret is deceptive, duplicative and dishonest. Of course the identities of the survivors of these crimes against children are to be protected. …
Bill Cosby’s sexual assault conviction last week showed that no one is above the law. But it was a rare victory for sexual assault survivors, as a report released last week by Ramsey County starkly illustrates. One celebrity conviction does not fix a system that too often mistreats survivors.The Ramsey County report was the result of a two-year review of sexual assault cases in the county. The review found that sexual assault reports all too often do not result in charges. Among other things, the review found that of 646 cases reviewed, only about 30 percent were referred by investigator…