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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 a New MexicoSexual 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 New Mexico
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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. New Mexico Catholic Church Sexual Abuse Lawyer
New Mexico wants to review church files for sex abuse
New Mexico has been described as the most culturally Catholic state in the union, having been colonized by the Spanish in the 16th century. Even today, it is home to more Catholics than the U.S. average, with about one third of its residents belonging to the faith. So it’s not surprising that New Mexico was shaken by the 2018 release of a grand jury report detailing the scope of sexual abuse in the Catholic church.
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The report, based on testimony and internal documents from multiple Pennsylvania dioceses, details a 7-decade-long pattern of church officials tolerating sexual predators in their midst - sometimes working to conceal their crimes and even promote them.
New Mexico played a role in the report, which revealed that higher-ups had repeatedly sent problem priests to the state’s Servants of the Paraclete treatment center. There priests accused of molestation would allegedly receive treatment for their psychological problems and be returned to the ministry.
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Many ended up receiving assignments within the state. In the 1980s and 90s, Paraclete and the diocese of Santa Fe faced multiple lawsuits from victims of sexual abuse. The treatment center eventually closed in 1995. Law enforcement in many states have initiated investigations modeled on the one in Pennsylvania, and New Mexico is included. In September 2018, the attorney general’s office contacted church officials asking to review their personnel files. These files are a crucial source of evidence, since internal documents les may show when a problem priest’s peers and higher-ups knew of accusations against them. The diocese of Las Cruces said it would cooperate; in a statement, Bishop Oscar Cantu stated that "Having an independent authority reviewing our files can foster greater confidence in the transparency and accountability of the Diocese of Las Cruces."
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Prior to this, in 2017, the diocese itself had made a move toward greater transparency. In 2017 the archdiocese released a list of 74 New Mexico priests and other clergy who had been credibly accused of sexually abusing children in New Mexico. Some of the accusations had already been publicly known to some extent, while others had been kept secret. In many cases, the abuse occurred decades ago, and the victim had gone public with their information only after the priest died. In other cases, the priest was undergoing a legal proceeding but had not been convicted.
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The release of the list was the result of continued pressure from sexual abuse survivors and victim advocates. Church leaders in many states and dioceses have made similar moves. If New Mexico proves to be similar to other states where investigations have been conducted, it is likely more evidence will be found for the guilt of some of these accused parties, as well as the complicity of fellow clergy members.
New Mexico Catholic Church Sexual Abuse Lawyer
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