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If you were sexually abused as a child by a priest, deacon or any other member of the Catholic Church, you are not alone. We are here to help you. Please fill out our confidential online contact form or call Toll Free 1-866-777-2557 and an Arkansas Sexual Abuse Lawyer will get back to you within 24 hours to discuss your possible case. Help is available nationwide. There is no cost to investigate and there are no legal fees unless you receive financial compensation. Making the call is sometimes the hardest step, but it is often a necessary step on the road to healing. Catholic Church Sexual Abuse Lawyer Arkansas
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Please call Toll Free 1-866-777-2557 or fill out our confidential contact form and a lawyer will get back to you within 24 hours to discuss your case. Arkansas Catholic Church Sexual Abuse Lawyer
Arkansas Catholic Church Sexual Abuse Lawyer
Past Allegations of Child Sex Abuse Revealed by Arkansas Catholic Diocese
According to Anthony Taylor, a Catholic Bishop in Arkansas, there was credible information about sexual abuse of children by priests in the Little Rock Diocese. The abuse went back years and involved 12 different priests who were there before Taylor. Eight of those priests are now dead.
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Taylor released a statement apologizing for the many transgressions of the church and stating he wanted transparency. He thought of the church as a place people should be able to go to in order to be safe, not hurt, as has happened to thousands of children in the Catholic Church throughout the years. Taylor said the statement was written in an effort to bring healing to both victims and their families and to hopefully encourage more victims to come forth. He also apologized for how Church officials had failed the victims in the past.
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According to Arkansas law, criminal prosecutions can’t take place after a victim, who was a minor at the time, turns 28. This means that potentially thousands of crimes against children will go unpunished. Bishop Taylor stated that none of the offenses occurred in Arkansas after 2002, when the Catholic Church established the Protection of Children and Young People policy. This means that a large number of victims will likely never see their abuser punished, even if they are still alive. As of this writing, efforts are being made to change statute of limitations laws across the country to address this injustice.
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Earlier this year, the Catholic Church in Arkansas listed names of clergy who at some point had assignments in the state and who had allegations against them that seemed credible. Although the report was preliminary and was done by church officials, an outside, independent review is being conducted. The Little Rock Diocese also reached out to the Arkansas Attorney General’s office to ask for their help in the investigation.
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Other Victims
The Little Rock Diocese is asking any past victims to please come forward and help with the investigation. The Diocese is offering help and assistance to victims and have listed names of potential child molesters within their church.
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Some Catholic churches are taking a proactive stance in response to the report out of the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s office which did a two year investigation into child abuse crimes within six of the Dioceses in their state. Widespread abuse was found and many people in the public have been asking about how the Church was in their own state, and wanting answers.
Arkansas Catholic Church Sexual Abuse Lawyer
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