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Clergy Sex Abuse Lawsuit
Over the last several years, there have been widespread media reports of sexual abuse of children by clergy in churches they attended. While the focus has been primarily on the Catholic Church, it is not the only church whose clergy have been accused of abuse.
The problem worsened when information surfaced indicating that many churches had attempted to conceal the existence and extent of the child abuse.
Many victims have pressed for criminal charges against their abusers, and filed lawsuits against the organizations that allegedly concealed the abuse.
To prevail in such a case, an abuse victim would probably have to prove only that he or she was sexually abused, and that the church took inadequate steps to address the issue, or took some affirmative steps to cover it up. It would also be possible to sue the perpetrator individually, though that person is not likely to have the financial resources to cover any judgment or settlement.
The vast majority of lawsuits related to clergy sex abuse have ended in settlement. These cases often involve multiple victims, contributing to the huge settlements. The Society of Jesus recently settled a case in Alaska for $50 million. It was claimed that members of the church sexually abused over 100 Inuit children at a mission in Alaska.
The Archdiocese of Boston has been embroiled in legal action concerning its cover-ups of abuse, and may settle for close to $100 million.
Many other churches and diocese in the U.S. have filed for bankruptcy after being sued for clergy abuse.
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