News & Events

Reports that a Los Angeles track coach and former Olympic hurdler is accused of sexually assaulting more than 30 athletes over 44 years are grim reminders of the need for strict oversight to guard against predatory coaches.Conrad Mainwaring was arrested Wednesday and charged with sexual battery in connection with an incident in 2016 when he sexually assaulted a male college athlete “under the guise of physical therapy and metal focus training,” according to police. Mainwaring, 67, competed for Antigua in the 1976 Olympics as a hurdler. He has coached high school and college track and field…

Sometimes a headline describes an issue better than the story. Take this one from Thursday’s article in American Magazine about bishop accountability protocols regarding sexual abuse adopted by U.S. Catholic bishops  this week in Baltimore:“U.S. bishops adopt new protocols for holding themselves accountable for sex abuse”The story highlights how the bishops’ new protocols are designed to ensure transparency and impartiality in dealing with sexual abuse and abuse cover-up by U.S. bishops, problems which have been secretly handled in-house by bishops and the Vatican for decades with…

On Monday, Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey signed into law victim’s rights legislation that gives child sexual abuse survivors more time to file civil claims against their perpetrators and the institutions that protected them. Arizona joined the ranks of New York, New Jersey and a growing number of other states in reforming their statutes of limitations for child sexual abuse, giving survivors a long-denied path to healing, justice and accountability.The law extends the age limit to bring a claim against a perpetrator from 20 to 30 and opens a temporary window for survivors older than 30 to file civil…

On May 14, 2019, the Catholic bishops of California announced the establishment of an Independent Compensation Program for Victim-Survivors of Sexual Abuse of Minors by Priests in six California dioceses. These programs will be available to anyone who has been sexually abused as a minor by diocesan priests of the participating dioceses, but this isn’t necessarily the best option for everyone. Our office has represented survivors in similar plans in New York and Pennsylvania. In this short video, attorney and advocate Mike Reck covers the basics and simplifies some of the complexities of these …

On May 27, 2019, following a groundbreaking unanimous legislative approval in the wake of emotionally-charged negotiations and testimony, Governor Doug Ducey signed into law Arizona’s own victims’ rights bill (HB2466). In so doing, Arizona has joined the ranks of New York, New Jersey, and a growing number of other states in effectively reforming the statute of limitations for child sexual abuse survivors and opening new roads to healing, justice, and accountability. “This bill is an important step in providing victims of child sexual abuse the justice they deserve,” tweeted Gov…

The new law in New Jersey is the most historic development in Child Protection and helping survivors that has ever been signed into law. Reason Number 1: It gives survivors the chance to expose offenders – past and present – in the community.Reason Number 2: It gives survivors a chance to have their voice heard and known in a way never-before acknowledged or allowed by law. It opens the courthouse doors and can bring child protection and transparency in the communities about where the risks are and who chose to protect those offenders.Reason Number 3: It allows survivors a chance to exercise…

Saint Paul, MN – Today five brave survivors of clergy sexual abuse and cover-up – three emerging from their “John Doe” status and using their names for the first time – filed suit against the Vatican, charging nuisance and public endangerment, including allowing known offenders to continue public ministry through cover-up and reassignment. The lawsuit also demands the release of several thousand secret files on predator priests known to and protected by top Catholic officials including, but not limited to, Archbishop John Nienstedt, Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, and Archbishop Anthony Apuron. T…

Saint Paul, MN – Today five brave survivors of clergy sexual abuse and cover-up – three emerging from their “John Doe” status and using their names for the first time – filed suit against the Vatican, charging nuisance and public endangerment, including allowing known offenders to continue public ministry through cover-up and reassignment. The lawsuit also demands the release of several thousand secret files on predator priests known to and protected by top Catholic officials including, but not limited to, Archbishop John Nienstedt, Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, and Archbishop Anthony Apuron.

Our law firm is launching a bold action against the Vatican designed to disclose and disgorge all the names of all the offenders that only they know – thousands of offenders and the histories behind them, including offenders who are involved in cover-up and are still at large, such as Archbishop John Nienstedt, Cardinal McCarrick, Archbishop Apuron and other top officials.  It is also on behalf of five courageous survivors, three of whom have never been public because they were abused by Curtis Wehmeyer and concealed by Archbishop Nienstedt, who is still at large and given license to cont…

Faced with revelations this week about the shocking numbers of scout leaders accused of sexual abuse, and of victims, Boy Scouts of America (BSA) responded by lying to the public in a pathetic attempt to preserve its image. In doing so, BSA continues to misdirect and cover up.BSA responded to allegations that it has hidden Ineligible Volunteer (IV) files for Boy Scout leaders accused of sexually abusing minors and refused to inform authorities and the public about the alleged offenders by stating that every name has been turned over to law enforcement.This is a factual distortion if not an out…

In this video, survivor advocates Christopher, Kristen, Stacey, Michelle and Asja sport their best denim to raise awareness for Denim Day – an annual, all-day protest that began after the Italian Supreme Court overturned a rape conviction because in the eyes of the court, since the victim was wearing tight jeans, she must have helped her attacker, implying consent. The following day, the women of Italian Parliament wore jeans in solidarity with the victim. In this spirit we invite you to join us on April 24 – put on a pair of jeans, stand in solidarity with survivors, and speak out against…

The safety of our children must come first.It’s a simple, direct, crystal clear statement. It’s one that we’ve put to clergy members in the form of a question in clergy child sex abuse cases many times over the years: “Father, wouldn’t you agree that the safety of our children must come first?” They’ve almost always answered in the affirmative. How could they not? Distilled this simply, the statement is an absolute no-brainer.Yet, the Catholic Church hierarchy ignores this truth to protect itself, making excuses, convoluted arguments and specious assertions of blame for sexual abuse of child…

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month and Sexual Assault Awareness Month. As we recognize the importance of protecting children and helping survivors heal and thrive, we urge everyone to join the child protection movement and do the same – this month and beyond.You can do this in many ways. Simply talking about child abuse and sexual violence is one way. Having thoughtful, open and trauma-informed conversations about abuse helps break the often-present stigma around it. It is often very difficult for survivors to disclose their abuse. Being open and present for survivors – and telling them you…

One of the eastern seaboard’s most notorious predator priests, Father Romano Ferraro, is up for parole on a life sentence. For decades Ferraro was moved from parish to parish under the protection of Roman Catholic hierarchs, all the while sexually abusing countless children in New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Missouri. This man is as dangerous today as he was back when he first admitted his sexual desires for young boys as a seminarian in 1955.His parole hearing is Tuesday, April 9, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. at the Massachusetts Parole Board’s Central Office at 12 Mercer Road, Natick, MA…

In response to the bombshell 2018 Pennsylvania Grand Jury Report on clergy sexual abuse, six of Pennsylvania’s eight dioceses are offering compensation programs for survivors. The best response would be for Pennsylvania lawmakers to enact a Child Victims Act giving survivors more time to bring civil lawsuits against pedophiles and their enabling institutions, and opening a window for bringing claims currently barred by the statute of limitations. The Pennsylvania bishops won’t give up their secrets and stop protecting abusive clergy until that happens.But the compensation programs no doubt…