California Clergy Sexual Abuse and Your Legal Rights

In theory, no group of people should warrant our trust more than members of the clergy. In reality, the extent of California clergy sexual abuse has been and remains alarming and appalling. If you or a loved one are a survivor of clergy sexual abuse, the legal team at The Doan Law Firm is here for you – around the clock. You can reach The Doan Law Firm any time of the day or night by calling out California clergy abuse lawyer hotline at (800) 349-0000.

You can also reach our firm through any one of our local offices located across the state of California:

• Anaheim – (714) 912-0000
• Irvine – (949) 438-0000
• Los Angeles – (424) 334-0000
• Oakland – (510) 925-0000
• Riverside – (951) 335-0000
• Sacramento – (916) 507-0000
• San Diego – (760) 991-0000
• San Francisco – (669) 228-0000
• San Jose – (415) 991-0000

Clergy Sexual Abuse: A Worldwide Scandal

Clergy sexual abuse began to make deadlines at the end of the 20^th century and beginning to the 21^st century in the United States, including in California. Clergy members and religious leaders from numerous faith and spiritual organizations were identified as perpetrating, permitting, and covering up clergy sexual assault, including the sexual abuse of children. Ultimately, it became clear – and remains evident today – that clergy sexual abuse is a worldwide scandal.

Prevalence of Sexual Abuse Among Catholic Priests

The manner in which the Catholic Church did and did not respond appropriately to the extent of child sexual abuse by members of its clergy has been the subject of criminal prosecution and civil lawsuits. In 2002, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops engaged the John Jay College of Criminal Justice to examine of 11,000 allegations of sexual misconduct. The John Jay College study revealed:

• The 11,000 identified allegations of sexual misconduct involved almost 4,400 Catholic priests in the United States
• The study revealed that approximately 4 percent of all active U.S. Catholic priests had been accused of sexual abuse of children between the years 1950 and 2002

California Assembly Bill 218 and Your Rights as a Sexual Abuse Survivor

The California Legislature enacted Assembly Bill 218, which was signed by the Governor. California Assembly Bill broadly expands the time during which a child survivor of sexual abuse can file a lawsuit against a perpetrator and other responsible parties. Under the law, a person can file a lawsuit based on an allegation of child sexual abuse 22 years from the date of reaching majority, which typically would be on a person’s 40^th birthday.

Parties Responsible for California Clergy Sexual Abuse

The stark reality is that oftentimes there are more people responsible for the harm, injuries, and damages caused by clergy sexual abuse than the specific perpetrators themselves. A prime example is the hierarchy of the Catholic Church that included bishops who moved priests they knew to be abusive of children from one parish to another in an effort to attempt to shield these miscreants from responsibility for their horrific wrongdoing.

The California clergy sexual abuse lawyer team works diligently to hold any and all parties who perpetrated or assisted in facilitating in some manner this type of abusive conduct. If you have questions about who might be held responsible for this type of conduct, you can connect with a California clergy sexual abuse lawyer right now by calling (800) 349-0000. The call is completely confidential and there is no cost and no obligation whatsoever,

Criminal Prosecution and Civil Justice for California Clergy Sexual Abuse

Both a criminal prosecution and a civil lawsuit can be pursued against a clergy member alleged to have committed sexual abuse. A person is not restricted to seeking one type of legal recourse or another.

Schedule a Confidential Consultation with a California Clergy Sexual Abuse Lawyer

If you or a loved is a survivor of California clergy sexual abuse, you can learn more about your legal rights by contacting The Doan Law Firm at (800) 349-0000. We can schedule a confidential initial consultation with an experienced California clergy sexual abuse lawyer at any one of our offices, at your home, or at any location most comfortable for you. A virtual consultation can also be arranged online as well.

There is not charge for an initial consultation with a Doan Law Firm California clergy sexual abuse lawyer. In fact, our firm never charges a fee unless we win your case for you.