As the cost of clergy sex abuse surpasses $1.5 billion, some U.S. Roman Catholic leaders are taking an aggressive, public stand against attorneys who represent victims.
The new development in the long-running clergy abuse crisis was partly triggered by proposals in several statehouses this year that would create a brief period when molestation claims could be filed - even if the time limits for lawsuits had passed.
Three dioceses have sought bankruptcy protection, others have cut budgets and sold property to fund multimillion-dollar settlements - and the claims keep pouring in. Dioceses received 783 new credible allegations last year, according to the bishops' conference, after paying out $1.5 billion in abuse-related costs since 1950.
AP
6 comments:
I feel that these accusations are way out of hand, I can't imagine why someone would wait 20 years or more to accuse someone of molestation. I think since a lot of money is a factor thats why. Isn't there a statute of limitation on molestation cases in most states? And of course, lawyers encourage clients to make claims because it lines their pockets.
The church is more than willing to help the victims of sexual abuse,there is curently a clergy abuse hotline. The issue here is $$$. What I don't understand is why were victims hesitant to report a molestation, but are able to do it 20 or 30 years later, I think money has a lot to do with it. Plus, a lot of the accusations were proven to be false.
I can produce a list of various demoninations where molestations have occurred, but why aren't they being sued for millions of dollars.
Abuse is hard to prove when you bring up a case that is 10, 15 or 20 years old. Who can remember what they did last week let along years and years ago.
I think I would remember if I were abused too, I think Anon. meant that abuse is hard to prove after 10-20 years have passed, could you remember the details well enough to press charges against someone.
I also feel that when people were able to sue for large amounts of money, more people stepped forward, isn't it funny how millions of dollars can cause someone to remember facts from years ago.
the incidence of abuse by teachers is even more staggering than the abuse by Catholic Priests. One in four girls and one in six boys is sexually abused by a teacher. 17:7 percent of males who graduated from high school and 82.2 percent of females reported sexual harassment by faculty or staff furing their years in school13.5 percent said that had sex with their teacher.
A survey by the Washington Post found that over the last 4 decades less than 1.5 percent of the estimated 60,000 or more men who have served in the Catholic clergy have been accused of sexual abuse.
It has to stop somewhere, shouldn't the statute of limitations be applied after so many years have passed.
Post a Comment