Decades of Clergy Sexual Abuse Support
For nearly four decades, we have fought alongside and for survivors of clergy sexual abuse and child sexual abuse by priests, nuns, employees, and volunteers of the Roman Catholic church, exposing perpetrators and holding those who covered up the abuse accountable. We have litigated cases nationwide against Catholic dioceses and religious orders, protestant religious organizations, and individual offenders. In each case, we strive to work directly with the survivor to empower him or her to regain their dignity, recover their power, and protect their identity. It is crucial that religious leaders maintain healthy boundaries to prevent sexual misconduct. We also address any mental health condition that may arise from such traumatic experiences, ensuring victims and survivors alike have the support they need to reclaim their personal space and well-being.
We are smart, tough, and relentless, but the virtue that ultimately sets us apart is our compassion. We are people who feel deeply and work tirelessly in response to an unjust world. We have a reputation for being the best at what we do and that begins and ends with our ability to support, protect, and guide survivors along their journey toward justice and healing. Clergy members who engaged in a nonconsensual sexual relationship or attempt sexual misconduct should be brought forward. Survivors of clergy abuse should reach out to get the help they deserve as soon as possible.
If you are a survivor of sexual abuse by a priest, nun, cleric, or employee of the Roman Catholic Church or any other religious institution, we want to help. Contact us confidentially today.
What is Clergy Sexual Abuse?
Clergy sexual abuse refers to the misconduct of a religious leader who violates professional ethics by engaging in inappropriate sexual contact with vulnerable individuals, often abused children. This type of abuse involves clergy members exploiting their position of trust and authority, resulting in significant harm to the victims. At Jeff Anderson & Associates, we specialize in seeking justice for those affected by clergy sexual abuse, offering compassionate support and legal expertise to hold perpetrators accountable.
Clergy sexual misconduct and abuse happens in many states and many religious communities. Our survivors network has a variety of resources, including clergy abuse reports, to help you realize you are not alone and deserve justice. If you, a family member, or someone you know thinks they may have been a victim of clergy sexual abuse either as a child or as an adult, it’s your ethical obligation to reach out confidentially today and speak to one of our professionals.
What Should I Do When Clergy Sexual Abuse Occurs?
If you feel that a clergy member has violated you or a person you know, reaching out for legal assistance is your best option. Clergy sexual abuse doesn’t only happen to children, adult victims can also have abusive actions taken upon them. If you feel you have less power than the religious institutions, we’re here to show you that your voice can be heard. Child clergy sexual misconduct can sometimes be hard to identify, especially if it occurred in the past.
If you are a survivor of sexual abuse by a priest, nun, cleric, or employee of the Roman Catholic Church or any other religious institution, we want to help. Contact us confidentially today.
Clergy Abuse Survivor Resources
With offices in Minnesota, California, New York, New Jersey, Hawaii, Illinois and Pennsylvania, an co-counsel across the country, survivors can be confident that our team has the knowledge, skills, and capability to guide them on their journey toward justice and healing. Please visit our Resources by State page to access information on survivor rights and window laws, perpetrator profiles, Chapter 11 bankruptcy information, vital information about dioceses across the country, and more. Can’t find what you’re looking for? Try the Search Window.
Chapter 11 Bankruptcy
Across the country, statute of limitations reform and survivor-centric legislation have opened the courthouse doors and provided new rights for previously time-barred survivors of clergy sexual abuse. As a result, many Catholic dioceses have turned to Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection to protect their assets and limit survivors’ opportunities to hold them accountable. Even in states with “window” laws in effect, like California and New York, Chapter 11 bankruptcy can severely limit the amount of time survivors have to pursue justice. To-date, more than 30 Catholic dioceses and religious orders have filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. This can often be a daunting and complex process unique to the diocese or institution filing for Chapter 11. Please visit our Chapter 11 Bankruptcy FAQ page to learn more about this process and how it might impact you. You can also visit our Resources by State to learn about a specific diocese in a given state.
Child Victims Acts
A number of states have signed into law legislation that has temporarily lifted the statute of limitations on child sexual abuse, allowing survivors of any age to bring civil claims against their abusers and the institutions responsible for those abusers. Commonly known as “window laws” or Child Victims Acts (CVAs) these laws have opened the courthouse doors for previously time-barred survivors to take legal action anonymously or publicly for a limited time. This is especially significant when clergy sexual abuse occurs, as it provides a pathway to justice for those affected. Our attorneys and advocates are well-versed in these laws and are ready to answer your questions and help you navigate the opportunities and challenges these laws present. We understand the complexity of cases involving sexualized behavior and sexual activity by church leaders, and we are committed to providing the support and guidance you need.
Whether you are a victim of adult clergy sexual abuse or may have experienced clergy sexual misconduct as a child, we are here to support you. Clergy abuse and sexual exploitation should happen to no person. Seek help today!
If you are a survivor of clergy sexual abuse as a child, we want to help. Contact us confidentially today.
Adult Clergy Sexual Abuse Survivor Resources
With offices in Minnesota, California, New York, New Jersey, Hawaii, Illinois, and Pennsylvania, and co-counsels across the country, survivors can be confident that our team has the knowledge, skills, and capability to guide them on their journey toward justice and healing. Please visit our Resources by State page to access information on survivor rights and window laws, perpetrator profiles, Chapter 11 bankruptcy information, vital information about dioceses across the country, and more. Can’t find what you’re looking for? Try the Search Window.
The Anderson Reports on Clergy Sexual Abuse
Providing extensive priest assignment histories, photos and biographical notes of clerics and Church employees accused of sexual abuse, The Anderson Reports on Clergy Sexual Abuse are revolutionary in their scope and scale. By examining the assignment histories of accused priests, these reports excavate and expose child sexual abuse and cover-up in dioceses throughout the United States, and thoroughly illustrate the widespread use of the Catholic bishops’ playbook for hiding accused priests and avoiding scandal through reassignment, denial, and internal investigations.
Visit our Anderson Report archive to view clergy abuse reports for dioceses in Arizona, California, Colorado, Illinois, New Jersey, and New York.
