Maine Priest Sexual Abuse Lawyer - Maine Catholic Church Sexual Assault Settlements ME


If you were sexually abused as a child by a priest, deacon or any other member of the Catholic Church, you are not aloneWe are here to help you.  Please fill out our confidential online contact form or call Toll Free 1-866-777-2557 and a Maine 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.  Priest Sexual Abuse Lawyer Maine


Reasons to call


  • Hold the church and priests accountable
  • Prevent this from happening to someone else
  • Help with the road to recovery – settlement money can provide financial security for you.  It can also help pay for therapy, rehabilitation, and medical treatment














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.  Maine Priest Sexual Abuse Lawyer




































  • Wells
  • Jefferson
  • Rumford
  • Gorham
  • Fryeburg
  • Freeport
  • Westbrook
  • Sabattus
  • Winthrop
  • Harpswell
  • Lebanon
  • Presque Isle
  • Milford
  • Warren
  • Gardiner
  • Richmond
  • Blue Hill
  • Lisbon
  • St. George
  • Waldoboro
  • Sidney
  • Kennebunkport
  • Acton
  • Oxford
  • Otisfield
  • Bar Harbor
  • Lewiston
  • Thomaston
  • Berwick
  • Falmouth
  • Canaan
  • Portland
  • Woolwich and Holden
  • York
  • North Berwick
  • Windsor
  • Dover-Foxcroft
  • Cape Elizabeth
  • Bridgton
  • Raymond
  • Caribou
  • South Berwick
  • Brewer
  • Hallowell
  • Old Town
  • Casco
  • Orrington
  • Farmington
  • Kennebunk
  • Livermore Falls



Maine Priest Sexual Abuse Lawyer


Why Priests Rarely Go to Jail for Sexual Abuse


For decades, sexual abuse within the Catholic church has continued to be revealed in communities across the globe. When allegations first started making the news in the 1970s, there was some fear that these weren’t not isolated incidents, but very few would have guessed just how deep the problem and the cover up went and we are still learning more every day. Yet during all this time, a surprisingly low percentage of people involved in the scandal have received jail time. Perhaps the most important question we can ask is why more priests have not been prosecuted for their crimes.


Priest Sexual Abuse Lawyer Maine


A major part of the problem is that the church is not only insular, but it is self-regulated. Often times, reports of sexual abuse were made directly to bishops and other leaders. At that point, they were entrusted with doing something to protect their congregations, but there was a systemic failure to take action. Instead of going to the police, families trusted the church leaders, but they were more concerned with protecting the image of the church.


When church leaders did decide that accused priests could no longer serve in the community, they simply moved them to another location. This solved the immediate problem, but they were also knowingly releasing a predator into a new community without punishment. These coverups only served to prolong the cycle of abuse and further deteriorate the integrity of the church.


Maine Priest Sexual Abuse Lawyer


Once the scandal did finally break and victims began to come forward to seek justice, they were often faced with legal hurdles like statutes of limitations. Only eight states do not have any statute for felony sexual assault. Other states’ laws vary and there are some exceptions in the case of DNA proof. Many victims were able to expose their abusers, but enough time had passed that the priests weren’t forced to face prosecution.


Ultimately, there are no clear numbers about exactly how many priests have been sent to jail for sexual abuse. In 2014, the Holy See, which is the governing body of the Vatican revealed that they had received 3,400 reports of sexual abuse over the past decade. These priests were defrocked and given lesser penalties, but few of them were actually prosecuted by law. In response, lawmakers in certain countries are making it mandatory for priests to report abuse or they will face prison time.


Priest Sexual Abuse Lawyer Maine


Over the decades, the Catholic church has paid millions of dollars to victims, but money hardly equates to justice or prevents these predators from continuing to target vulnerable children. If nothing else, hopefully this scandal has made the church realize that outside examination of the system is necessary and also made the police more aware of potential problems.

Maine Priest Sexual Abuse Lawyer

















































Call Toll Free 1-866-777-2557 for a Free, Confidential Consultation.  No Legal Fees Unless You Receive Settlement. 

Were You Abused?

Priest Sex Abuse Lawyer 

Call Today: 1-866-777-2557

Priest Abuse Lawyer Maine - Free Confidential Consultation - 1-866-777-2557