Sexual Abuse of Children by Priests, Clergy & Other Religious Leaders

Attorneys Willing to Stand Up to Abusive & Negligent Religious Institutions

Many adults were sexually abused when they were children by priests and other religious leaders. New laws allow adults to come forward and file sex abuse lawsuits against the clergy leaders and religious entities even if the sexual abuse occurred many decades ago. We must be able to trust religious organizations to provide a safe and nurturing environment for their children to learn and worship. When that trust is broken, it causes lasting damage. Many adults are unable to come forward because of the pain and mental struggles associated with the abuse. If you were sexually abused when you were a child (younger than age 18) by a member of a religious institution, let Levy Konigsberg help you seek justice. We can help you determine if there is a child sex abuse law that will allow you to hold the religious leader, church or other religious institution accountable, while providing financial compensation for your suffering.

For nearly 40 years, we have fought for individuals harmed by individual, corporate and governmental misconduct. We are a nationally recognized leader in sex abuse litigation against religious leaders who abused their power and the religious institutions that harbored or enabled them. When we take a claim, we aim to win by employing our vast resources and experience. We fight for the justice that survivors of sexual abuse by religious institutions deserve because we know that we’re fighting not just for them but for countless children who deserve protection from future abuses.

We are currently investigating child sexual abuse cases that involve or implicate the:

• Catholic Diocese
• Jehovah’s Witnesses
• Southern Baptist Church
• Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons)
• Jewish youth organizations
• And others

Trust Levy Konigsberg with your lawsuit for sexual abuse of a child by a priest, clergy member, or another religious leader. Call (800) 315-3806 now.

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Catholic Archdiocese Sex Abuse Scandals

In 2002, one of the largest and most shocking sex abuse scandals by a religious institution was uncovered and criminal charges were brought against five Roman Catholic priests in the Catholic Archdiocese of Boston after thousands of minors alleged that priests had engaged in sexual abuse for decades with the aid of a cover-up by a number of large dioceses. Despite the U.S. bishop’s purported “zero tolerance” policy following this news, scores of reports of decades-old abuse by clergy and willful lack of appropriate action by superiors continue to surface, most notably in a report accusing 300 priests of molesting more than 1,000 victims going back 70 years in the Pennsylvania Archdiocese. Victims of abuse by members of the Catholic clergy can seek damages for the pain and suffering they experienced as a result of the abuse.

Failure to Supervise Perpetrators of Sex Abuse

One of the most shocking aspects of the Catholic Church abuse scandal is the widespread and systematic effort by superiors to conceal abuse and protect perpetrators while failing to take corrective action. In many instances, complaints of sexual abuse were ignored, or offenders were simply relocated to other parishes where they would abuse other children.

Liability for sexual abuse extends beyond the individual priests who committed abuse; other clergy members who worked closely with abusers, bishops who were in charge of overseeing the priests in their parishes, and dioceses that were ultimately responsible for supervising the clergy within their organizations can all be held accountable for sexual abuse of children. In one of the largest settlements for individual victims, four men were awarded $27.7 million in a settlement with the Diocese of Brooklyn for sexual abuse by a religion teacher at St. Lucy’s-St. Patrick’s Church in Brooklyn. The court stated that the Diocese of Brooklyn ignored clear signs of the abuse, including inappropriate contact witnessed by other Church employees, and failed to report suspicious behavior to the proper authorities.

Sexual Abuse Among Other Religious

While many high-profile cases of sexual abuse have occurred in the Catholic Church, sexual abuse among leaders in religious organizations is not limited to the Roman Catholic Church. Numerous reports of sexual abuse of children in Jewish youth organizations, synagogues, and religious schools have surfaced in recent years. . Other religious institutions, including the Southern Baptist Church, Mormon Church, and Jehovah’s Witnesses have likewise been accused of fostering abuse and attempting to silence claims of widespread sexual assault. The common thread—institutional leaders attempting to cover up and protect abusers at the cost of accountability and a safe environment for children.

Levy Konigsberg LLP is a nationally recognized law firm that has handled all types of sexual abuse cases for more than three decades. If you or a member of your family has been the victim of sexual misconduct by a priest, clergy, or other religious member, please contact our lawyers for a free consultation by calling (800) 315-3806 or submit an email inquiry.