We Are Committed to Protecting Adult and Child Victims of Clergy Sexual Abuse in New Orleans
Summary
- Religious institutions should be places of sanctuary. Still, over several decades, thousands of victims have experienced sexual abuse at the hands of clergy members.
- The Catholic Church and other religious organizations have gone to great lengths to cover up clergy sex abuse.
- A Louisiana clergy abuse lawsuit can help victims seek justice, raise awareness, and provide financial compensation for survivors so they have the resources to access therapy, counseling, and medical treatment to manage the trauma they’ve experienced.
Why Hire HKGC for a Clergy Abuse Lawsuit
Our Louisiana clergy abuse attorneys represent children, families, and adults in cases of sexual abuse involving all religious denominations. No matter what happened, when, or where it happened, we encourage you to speak with our Louisiana clergy abuse lawyers when you are ready to discuss your experience.
Many survivors of clergy sex abuse struggle with shame, guilt, and isolation. It may take years for survivors to come forward to report their abuse, but it’s never too late to share your story and seek justice. Our attorneys can discuss available resources and remedies to help clergy abuse survivors feel heard and work towards finding closure and an opportunity to move forward with their lives.
At Herman, Katz, Gisleson & Cain, we are committed to fighting for victims of sexual abuse. Our attorneys represent more sexual abuse survivors in the New Orleans archdiocese case than any other firm. If you are a clergy abuse victim, or if you suspect that someone you love may be a victim, it is important that you seek help. We are here for you, and we are just a phone call away.
New Orleans Clergy Sexual Abuse Lawyers Are Unwavering Advocates for Victims of Sexual Abuse
If you are a silent survivor, it’s time to tell your story. Sexual abuse results in real trauma and far too many victims never speak up. Whether out of embarrassment, uncertainty, or fear of retribution, far too many victims live their entire lives under the shadow of their abuse, and they never get the closure they so desperately need and deserve.
As a victim of sexual abuse, speaking up is not easy. It takes courage, and it takes the ability to confront the pain you have been forced to endure. It also requires you to be vulnerable, as you will need to discuss what happened with an attorney who you don’t know. We understand all of this, and we are intimately aware of what it means to decide to tell your story. With decades of experience representing sexual abuse victims, we understand what you are going through, and we will make sure you feel comfortable, confident, and informed every step of the way.
We encourage you to read below to learn more about your situation, and then we invite you to call 844-943-7626 to speak with one of our New Orleans clergy sexual abuse attorneys in complete confidence.
Victims of Sexual Abuse
If you have been sexually abused as an adult, or if you are an adult and you were previously abused as a child, our attorneys can explain everything you need to know about taking legal action. We can explain the process step-by-step, and we can help you understand what you can expect during and after the process. When you contact us, you are not committing to anything. We will arrange for you to speak with one of our attorneys in confidence; and, after this initial consultation, you can decide whether you have more questions, you are not ready, or you are prepared to move forward with pursuing legal action. This decision is completely up to you, and we are simply here to help you make the right decision at the right time.
Victims of Church Sexual Abuse
We have particular experience representing victims and families in cases of church sexual abuse. Unfortunately, the issue of child sexual abuse in the Roman Catholic Church is so prevalent that it has become well-known, and over the years numerous victims have come forward. While the Catholic Church has shown that it is prepared to go to extraordinary lengths to protect its clergy members, our attorneys have been successful in helping many victims of clergy sexual abuse expose the truth and recover substantial compensation for the effects of their abuse.
Of course, the Catholic Church is not the only church where sexual abuse occurs. We represent sexual abuse survivors involving all religious denominations. We encourage you to speak with one of our New Orleans church sexual abuse lawyers to learn about the resources and remedies that are available.
Southern Baptist Convention Sex Abuse
A recent investigation concerning the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) has revealed that victims of sexual abuse within the SBC attempted to report the abuse by ministers, church workers, and volunteers for more than 20 years. Instead of confronting the abusers, SBC leaders ignored the victims and, at times, even vilified the individuals attempting to report the sex abuse.
With 14 million members and 47,000 churches, the Southern Baptist Convention is the largest Protestant denomination of Christianity in the United States. While rumors circulated for years about the church’s failure to stop sexual abuse within the church, it wasn’t until last June at the SBC’s annual convention in Nashville that delegates decided to bring in an outside firm to look at how church leaders handled the allegations.
On May 22, 2022, the firm Guidepost Solutions, which interviewed Southern Baptist Convention sex abuse survivors, staff, and witnesses, released its 300-page report detailing its findings.
The investigation looked at information gathered between 2000-2021 and concluded that for years while individuals reported crimes to the executive committee through letters, emails, phone calls, and in the media, the committee, in return, met them with “resistance, stonewalling and even outright hostility.”
Guidepost Solutions also determined that instead of looking into serious allegations against the church, the abuse allegations were managed by “a small cadre of staff as well as its outside lawyers.’’
The firm found that a legal team advised the executive committee not to look into the sex abuse allegations to avoid liability. At the same time, it determined that while the Southern Baptist Convention publicly said they did not have a record of the abuse reports, in reality, an executive committee member managed a database listing sexual abuse allegations in 2007.
The database is evidence that the executive committee did know details of specific sex abuse cases, yet they chose not to investigate the crimes. This means alleged abusers kept their positions, even those with powerful roles. The firm found the committee had gathered the names of 703 abusers, and of those, more than 400 held positions within the SBC. Several abusers were high ranking.
Southern Baptist Convention Sexual Abuse Legal Help
The effects of sexual abuse are heartbreaking and may take years to recover from. Along with physical harm, sex abuse can cause long-term psychological and emotional issues, including depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, and drug addiction.
If you or someone you know has experienced sex abuse within the Southern Baptist Convention, seeking legal advice from an experienced Louisiana sex abuse attorney on how to best proceed is essential. It is important for sex abuse survivors to understand there are deadlines for filing claims against clergy abusers, churches, and/or the Southern Baptist Convention. The sex abuse lawyers at Herman, Katz, Gisleson & Cain can help you understand the deadlines and walk you through the various legal options.
For more information regarding Southern Baptist Convention sex abuse lawsuits, please call us at 844-943-7626 or visit us online to schedule a free, confidential consultation. Everything you share with our attorneys will be kept in the strictest confidence. The lawyers at Herman, Katz, Gisleson & Cain are long-time advocates for Louisiana sex abuse victims. We are committed to forcing systemic change until the sex abuse cycle is broken and survivors can come forward without fear.
Victims of Sexual Abuse by the Archdiocese of New Orleans
Our firm is representing the largest number of clients in sexual abuse cases against the Archdiocese of New Orleans. At present, our firm is responsible for 80 percent of all filed cases of sexual abuse against the Archdiocese and has reviewed thousands of pages of documents relating to more than 23 cases.
Archbishops Philip Hannan, Francis Schulte, Alfred Hughes, and Gregory Aymond knew clergy members were sexually abusing hundreds of child victims over a period of several decades, and they did nothing. The Archdiocese recently filed bankruptcy in an attempt to continue concealing the truth about what happened.
We are actively pursuing multiple claims against the Archdiocese of New Orleans, and we are confident that the truth will prevail. Our attorneys are committed to ensuring this happens, and we are strongly encouraging all victims and all other individuals who have information about the sexual abuse that has occurred at the Archdiocese of New Orleans to come forward. From the moment you contact us, your identity and all information you share will be held in strict confidence, and we will only reveal your name and pursue legal action on your behalf if you decide that you want us to do so. To schedule a free and confidential consultation with a New Orleans clergy sexual abuse lawyer at Herman, Katz, Gisleson & Cain, call 844-943-7626 now.
What Should You Do If You Are a Victim of Clergy Sexual Abuse?
If you are a victim of clergy sexual abuse, there are some important steps you need to try to take in order to protect your legal rights. There are also some common mistakes you should try to avoid. However, none of these steps are critical, and none of the mistakes are fatal (so you should not worry if you have made a mistake). The most important thing is simply to speak with a New Orleans sexual abuse attorney as soon as possible:
- Do not make contact with the abuser or the institution or business where the abuse occurred. At this point, you should not have any contact with your abuser or the institution or business that employed the abuser. If you were assaulted at church or anywhere else other than your place of employment, you should avoid going back to where you were abused.
- Seek medical treatment if needed. If you have not already seen a doctor, you should do so promptly. Tell your doctor what happened (like us, your doctors will keep any information you tell them confidential), and try to follow through with your doctor’s treatment recommendations. This includes seeing a psychologist or other mental health professional as recommended.
- Try to take detailed notes. Even if it has been years or decades since you were sexually abused, it is important to write down as much information about the abuse as you can remember. Writing things down can help jog your memory, and having a list to follow can be helpful when speaking with an attorney.
- Keep any relevant text messages, personal items, or other possible evidence. If you have text messages, clothing, or other items that could potentially serve as evidence in your case, it is important that you keep them until you can provide them to your attorney.
- Schedule a free initial consultation with an attorney at Herman, Katz, Gisleson & Cain. In order to protect your legal rights, the single most important thing you can do is to speak with an attorney. You can reach our New Orleans law offices 24/7, and we can arrange for you to meet with one of our senior New Orleans sexual abuse attorneys right away.
Many victims of sexual abuse experience intense suicidal thoughts and suffer from drug addiction. Being victimized can have other traumatic effects as well. If you need help, we encourage you to seek help immediately, and if you would like to speak with a New Orleans sexual abuse lawyer, we invite you to contact us for a free and confidential consultation.
Schedule a Free and Confidential Consultation Now
We also handle other types of sex abuse cases, including:
Would you like to speak with an attorney about seeking to recover from the effects of clergy sexual abuse? To speak with an attorney at Herman, Katz, Gisleson & Cain in confidence, call 844-943-7626 or request a free consultation online now.
Clergy Sex Abuse Frequently Asked Questions
Clergy abuse refers to sexual, emotional, or physical abuse committed by religious leaders, such as priests, ministers, pastors, or other clergy members, against individuals, often within the context of a religious institution.
Clergy abuse survivors might hesitate to come forward due to feelings of shame, fear of retribution, uncertainty about the legal process, or concerns about damaging the reputation of their religious community.
Although few abusers are charged criminally, clergy abuse victims may have legal options to pursue justice and compensation through civil lawsuits against the abuser and the institution that employed them. Clergy abuse lawsuits aim to hold perpetrators and institutions accountable for their actions.
Previously, Louisiana had a statute of limitations requiring victims of childhood sexual abuse to file civil lawsuits by age 28. However, the Louisiana Child Victims Act eliminated the statute of limitations for child sex abuse claims for a three-year period. Louisiana clergy abuse victims can now come forward and file claims regardless of age or time since the abuse occurred. You have until June 14, 2024, to bring a claim within the lookback window.
Recent revelations of Louisiana clergy abuse highlight religious institutions’ need for transparency, accountability, and reform. Such disclosures often increase clergy abuse awareness, legal action, and discussions about preventing future abuse.
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Recent Clergy & Priest Abuse News
RE: In re The Roman Catholic Church for the Archdiocese […]
