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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 Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania
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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. Pennsylvania Priest Sexual Abuse Lawyer
PENNSYLVANIA GRAND JURY REPORT ON SEX ABUSE IN CATHOLIC CHURCH
In August 2018, a grand jury in Pennsylvania issued a report that revealed the cover up of the abuse of more than 1,000 victims perpetrated by more than 300 priests over 70 years in six of the eight dioceses in the state. The report speculated that there were most likely thousands of other victims who were either too afraid to come forward or whose records had been lost.
Pennsylvania Priest Sexual Abuse Lawyer
The grand jury met for two years and received the testimony of victims from the dioceses of Allentown, Erie, Greensburg, Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, and Scranton. They also heard the testimony of the bishop of Erie, and the grand jury reviewed half a million documents from the archives of the dioceses. The report listed every accused priest and detailed the measures the diocese used to cover for their abuse.
The bishops in the state were found to have convinced law enforcement not to investigate claims and persuaded victims not to report instances of abuse. Though some of the priests facing allegations were removed from ministry, the bishops who vouched for and protected them stayed in office or were promoted.
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After the release of the report, some bishops promised to be more candid and pointed out recent procedures that have made churches safer for young people. Bishop David A. Zubik of Pittsburgh was adamant that there had been no cover up. He claimed that there had been transparency for the past 30 years.
The grand jury found that the church used euphemisms to minimize the abuse, assigned priests with no experience in investigating sexual abuse allegations to investigate their fellow priests, and concealing the reasons behind moving or removing an accused priest. The report indicated that bishops would either tell the priest’s parishioners that he was on some sort of sick leave or say nothing.
Pennsylvania Priest Sexual Abuse Lawyer
Victims expressed relief that their stories were finally being told and that their abusers were being publicly named. Some questioned the lack of justice offending priests faced and what further action would be taken. The state legislature in Pennsylvania has refused to remove the statute of limitations which would allow victims to file civil lawsuits. The current statute prevents 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, and they also recommended a temporary removal of the statute of limitations to allow older victims to file their cases.
Priest Sexual Abuse Lawyer Pennsylvania
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