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Were you 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 abuse victims. Stand up against your abuser and help prevent this from happening to someone else. Please fill out our confidential online contact form or call Toll Free 1-866-777-2557 and a Pennsylvania Sex Abuse Lawyer will get back to you within 24 hours to discuss your possible case. This is a free consultation. There is no cost to investigate and there are no legal fees unless you receive financial compensation at the end of the case. Making the call is sometimes the hardest step, but it is often a necessary step on the road to healing. Priest Sex Abuse Lawyer Pennsylvania
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In August 2018, a grand jury in Pennsylvania published a written report that revealed the cover up of the abuse of more than 1,000 victims perpetrated by more than 300 priests throughout seventy years in six of the eight dioceses in the state. The report speculated that there were almost certainly thousands of additional victims who were either too afraid to come forward or whose records ended up being lost.
The grand jury met for two years and obtained the statements of victims from the dioceses of Allentown, Erie, Greensburg, Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, and Scranton. They also listened to the testimony of the bishop of Erie, and the grand jury evaluated half a million docs within the archives of the dioceses. The survey detailed every accused priest and outlined the measures the diocese used to cover for their abuse.
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The bishops in the state were found to have swayed law enforcement officials not to investigate claims and persuaded victims not to document instances of abuse. Though a number of the priests facing allegations were taken from ministry, the bishops who vouched for and shielded them continued in office or maybe were promoted.
After the release of the record, some bishops offered to be more candid and talked about recent procedures that have made congregations more secure for young people. Bishop David A. Zubik of Pittsburgh was insistent that there had been absolutely no cover up. He professed that there had been openness during the last three decades.
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The grand jury learned that the church used euphemisms to reduce the abuse, designated priests without any expertise in investigating sexual abuse claims to assess their fellow priests, and covering the reasons behind relocating or removing an accused priest. The report established that bishops would either convey to the priest?s parishioners that he was on some kind of sick leave or say nothing.
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Victims expressed relief that their experiences were finally being revealed and that their abusers were being publicly called out. Some questioned the lack of justice offending priests experienced along with what further steps would be taken. The state legislature in Pennsylvania has refused amend the statute of limitations which would allow victims to file civil lawsuits. The current statute blocks childhood victims over the age of 30 from filing a civil suit against the church. The grand jury recommended an extension of the statute of limitations for both civil and criminal cases, plus they encouraged a short-term removal of the statute of limitations to allow for older victims to file their cases.
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