News & Events

Cook County Judge Dennis Porter recently ruled that convicted child molester and former priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago, Daniel McCormack, is a sexually violent person.  For him to be declared a sexually violent person, prosecutors had to prove, that after previous convictions of sexual violence, McCormack has a pedophilic disorder and will reoffend again.  While speaking directly at McCormack in the courtroom, Judge Porter said, “I have no reasonable doubt that you will engage in future acts of sexual violence.” The Chicago Sun Times recently reported the news of the ruling…

On Friday, August 11, 2017, Gov. Rauner signed a law eliminating the criminal statute of limitations for child sexual abuse. We applaud the survivors who stood up and spoke out to get the law changed. The new law recognizes the importance of taking child sexual abuse seriously and acknowledges that victims of child sexual abuse need more time to come forward.Studies have long showed that victims of child sexual abuse are not able to come forward for years after the abuse. Often, victims are groomed by offenders who have a powerful hold on victims and their families. Other times, victims face s…

In the past few weeks, the Taylor Swift “groping case” has populated
headlines. Aside from the Grammy Award winning singer’s trial, this
week’s headlines also covered the Catholic Church “scandal.” When words
such as “groping” and “scandal” are used in place of sexual assault and
sexual abuse, we need to call it out. If we do not call it what it is,
we only perpetuate this horrific crime. Naming sexual violence is the
first step in shining a light on this enormous problem. Sexual abuse is
not a scandal, it is an act of violence. Sexual assault is not about
sex; it is about power and control.

Since October of 2016, survivors of sexual abuse by clerics of the Archdiocese of New York have been able to participate in a voluntary and confidential compensation program called the IRCP or Independent Reconciliation and Compensation Program. Originally, the deadline for participation was set at July 31, 2017.  THE DEADLINE FOR CLAIMS AGAINST THE ARCHDIOCESE OF NEW YORK HAS BEEN EXTENDED UNTIL NOVEMBER 1, 2017.

There is immense sorrow and tragedy in the death of Linkin Park lead singer Chester Bennington by suicide last week. But perhaps Bennington’s life, death and the attention they received will empower other male childhood sexual abuse survivors to speak out about their own abuse and get help. Bennington was publicly open about being sexually abused as a child and how the abuse tormented him. He shared that he used drugs and alcohol excessively to try to cope with the abuse trauma. His raw, intense singing style and often dark lyrics now seem to have directly telegraphed how haunted he was.

On Thursday, Australian police announced their decision to charge Cardinal George Pell with “historic sexual assault offenses.” According to Victoria Police, Pell is facing multiple charges involving multiple complainants. Cardinal Pell is the third-ranking official in the Vatican and is the highest-ranking Roman Catholic prelate to be charged with sexual assault. As the former Archbishop of Sydney and Melbourne, Cardinal Pell has been accused of covering up child sexual abuse and has been under fire since the royal commission was ordered to investigate clerical sexual abuse in Australia in 20…

The practice of yoga is said to have originated from Northern India nearly 5,000 years ago. It wasn’t until the 1980s that yoga became popular in the Western World. Yoga, a form of moving meditation, has many physical, mental, and emotional benefits for survivors of childhood sexual abuse. Recently, researchers have begun to explore the efficacy of yoga and other mindfulness interventions in healing the trauma of sexual abuse. The practice of trauma-sensitive yoga is centered on connecting the mind and the body, a connection that is often shattered by trauma such as childhood sexual abuse. Stu…

This month marks the 15th anniversary of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People (often referred to as the “Dallas Charter”), a document in which U.S. bishops pledged to protect children and  address the staggering problem of Catholic clergy child sexual abuse by adopting policies with “a firm determination to resolve the crisis.” The milepost is another reminder that, by and large, institutions continue to say they strive for accountability with initiatives like the Charter but in reality they often need to be forced kicking and screaming to do the right things to…

If “The Keepers” is not a reason to change the statute of limitations on child sexual abuse, then what is? The multi-dimensional Netflix documentary, directed by Ryan White, is an opportunity for everyone to know, feel, and understand the depths of chronic, institutional failure in real time. “The Keepers’ brings heightened awareness to the fact that we, as a culture, are still in crisis. It also provides a deeper understanding into the hearts and souls of survivors of child sexual abuse. Jean Wehner and the survivors featured in “The Keepers” were given a voice to share their truths and end…