Settlements Announced in Child Sexual Abuse Cases Involving the Archdiocese of New York and Diocese of Brooklyn’s Compensation ProgramsIdentities of two undisclosed perpetrators will be released to the publicWHAT: On Wednesday, Attorney J. Michael Reck of Jeff Anderson & Associates, P.A., will: Announce and discuss settlements obtained on behalf of survivors of childhood sexual abuse in the Archdiocese of New York and the Diocese of Brooklyn. The settlements were obtained after the survivors participated in the Archdiocese of New York and the Diocese of Brooklyn’s…
News & Events
The recent reports of sexual harassment and sexual assault by Hollywood film producer and co-founder of Miramax, Harvey Weinstein, is yet another scandal that exposes a culture that became a system of secrecy. This is not the first powerful figure or institution to face allegations of sexual violence and cover-up. However, truth revealed is progress! From actor Bill Cosby, to former Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert, to football coaches, to Olympic Team doctors, to teachers of the Word of God, all of these men have one thing in common – power.Sexual violence is not about sex. It is all about…
Diocese of Rockville CentreAnnounces Compensation Program for Sexual Abuse Survivors (Rockville Centre, NY) – Today, the Diocese of Rockville Centre announced a compensation program for survivors of child sexual abuse. Phase I of the Independent Reconciliation and Compensation Program (IRCP) is open to survivors of clergy sexual abuse who previously reported abuse by a diocesan priest or deacon, to the Diocese of Rockville Centre. The deadline for Phase I submissions is December 31, 2017. According to the diocese, Phase II will commence at a later date, which is anticipated to be in January 20…
Coercion Claim Against Crookston Bishop Hoeppner SettledLetter Hoeppner Coerced Vasek to Sign in 2015 Released as Part of the Settlement(St. Paul, MN) – Ron Vasek settled his coercion claim against Crookston Bishop Michael Hoeppner this week. As part of the settlement, Vasek received a copy of the letter the Bishop coerced him into signing in 2015 retracting his statement that he had been abused by Msgr. Roger Grundhaus when he was 16 years old. Vasek’s attorney, Jeff Anderson, said for Ron this case was about exposing the truth. “Ron suffered in silence and shame….
Hearing Tomorrow in Thief River Falls in Case Where Statute of Limitations Extended by Bishop Michael J. Hoeppner’s Coercion Attorneys asking Court to Sanction the Diocese of Crookston for Concealing Msgr. Roger Grundhaus’ Name(Thief River Falls, MN): In a hearing tomorrow, courageous survivor Ron Vasek will ask the Court to deny the Diocese of Crookston’s attempts to throw out his public nuisance and negligence claims. Ron Vasek was sexually abused by former Vicar General of the Diocese of Crookston, Msgr. Roger Grundhaus, in approximately 1971. After Mr. Vasek disclosed the…
St. John’s Abbey settles 17 more sex abuse cases, 3 never before disclosed names added to its list of abusersNewly identified abusers, Fr. Strub, Fr. Kelly and Fr. Plakut Worked Throughout Minnesota“This is real progress,” says Attorney Jeff AndersonFather Augustine Strub Bio and Assignment HistoryFather Casimir Plakut Bio and Assignment HistoryFather James Kelly Bio and Assignment History(St. Paul, MN) – On Monday, St. John’s Abbey added three more names to a growing list of its priests and monks who have sexually abused children. St. John’s acknowledged that monks Fr. Casimir Plakut, Fr. Aug…
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…
(St. Paul, MN) –Mitchell Hamline School of Law and Jeff Anderson & Associates are breaking new ground in child abuse prevention and legal education by announcing the Zero Abuse Project (ZAP). A $2 million gift from Jeff Anderson & Associates to Mitchell Hamline will launch a collaboration aimed at training professionals and transforming how institutions play a necessary …
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.
We are disturbed but not surprised by Pope Francis’ support of Cardinal George Pell after Australian authorities charged him with multiple counts of “historical sexual assault offenses” on Thursday. The Vatican stated it learned of the charges “with regret” and that Pope Francis appreciated Pell’s honesty and commitment. during his three years at the Vatican, where he is the third-ranking official.“This comment about Pell’s ‘honesty’ is a rebuke to survivors and another step backwards for the papacy and any perceived progress regarding clergy sex abuse,” said…
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…