Sexual Abuse

Prevalence Of Child Sexual Abuse

According to Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) studies, it is an alarming fact that one in five children is sexually abused before they reach the age of 18. Many sexual predators are known as so-called “lifelong predators” who have abused upwards of 100 children; however, only 10 percent of this abuse is reported. Tragically, victims of these crimes are often unable to discuss these crimes for many years because of predator intimidation or serious post-traumatic stress disorder responses, or both. This means that thousands of pedophiles, the sexual abusers of children, continue to live their lives, often living and working with or near children in the State of New York.

This “silent epidemic” of abuse is increased in severity by those who have criminally covered up for pedophiles and are also protected by unfavorable state statutes. In fact, special grand juries in Suffolk and Westchester counties have uncovered planned actions by institutions that have used deception and intimidation to dissuade victims from seeking legal recourse until expiration of the current statute of limitations. For too long statutes of limitation have made it difficult to prosecute those who have covered up for these criminals, but much of what made it impossible to hold institutions culpable has been eliminated by the NY Child Victims Act. Lawsuits can now be filed to sue institutions who have conspired to escape legal penalties by covering up crimes.

Child Sex Abuse Victims Lawsuits Against Clergy And Other Organizations

Allegations of sexual abuse in houses of worship nationwide have become an increasingly disturbing occurrence. With the news of more abuse by religious leaders making headlines, more victims are finding the support they need to come forward.

A prior abuse case in Boston revealed that the Catholic Church went to great lengths to protect a priest who was repeatedly accused of molesting children over a period of 30 years. According to legal proceedings and public statements, the list of Roman Catholic officials who allegedly remained silent, despite evidence that a Boston-area priest was molesting boys, grew to include one cardinal, five bishops, and several parish clergy. Unfortunately, the hiding of sexual abuse allegations by religious officials is not a rare occurrence and enables the abuse of countless children and the ongoing protection of the abusers and their cohorts well past the crimes’ statutes of limitations.

It has been more than a decade since a rash of allegations against Catholic priests surfaced. The Catholic Church has spent millions of dollars to defend itself against charges it knew of sexual abuse allegations being committed by its clergy. Many former priests have been sentenced to prison following their convictions, and more than 10 years later, priests and church officials continue to defend themselves against allegations of sexual abuse or conspiring to ignore these accusations. Hundreds, potentially thousands, of children were sexually abused by Catholic priests or other church officials and were often intimidated into not telling their parents or civil authorities of crimes committed against them.

New York Child Sex Abuse Cases In The Ultra-Orthodox Jewish Community

The ultra-Orthodox Jewish population has also been the focus of a growing number of child sex abuse allegations. For example, previous allegations include those against  a rabbi at a New York religious school in an ultra-orthodox Jewish community, who sexually abused students. Members of the Jewish community have long been encouraged by their leaders to take allegations of sexual misconduct to rabbis before making reports to secular authorities. According to at least one alleged victim’s family, victims are rarely believed and abusers are not punished.

In another example case, some 64 students alleged abuse by at least 22 faculty members at the exclusive Horace Mann School in the Bronx. On Long Island, foster father, Cesar Gonzales-Mugaburu, was charged with the abuse of seven boys. Sexual abuse allegations have also been made against the Boy Scouts of America; the Jehovah’s Witnesses; and Penn State University and former coach, Jerry Sandusky, to name just a few. Before the Child Victims Act, New York statute of limitations for these types of cases made prosecution even more difficult.