At 2 P.M. on August 14, Attorney General Josh Shapiro held a news conference to expose and confirm a horrifying child sexual abuse ring that has been occurring within Catholic churches across the state for decades.
Pennsylvania’s Attorney General Addresses Catholic Church Child Sex Abuse
Every American should be disturbed and shocked at how pervasive sexual abuse has been within Pennsylvania Catholic churches over the past 70 years. A sweeping investigation has revealed more than 300 “predator priests” accused of sexually abusing an overwhelming 1,000 victims. However, the grand jury report says, “We believe that the real number of children whose records were lost or who were afraid ever to come forward is in the thousands”.
Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro discussed the 1,400-page report during a press conference calling it the “largest, most comprehensive report into child sexual abuse within the Catholic Church ever produced in the United States.” It is clear that several criminal cases will likely be pursued as the investigation closes. The report, which was released Tuesday afternoon, investigates clergy sexual abuse in six dioceses: Scranton, Philadelphia, Harrisburg, Greensburg, Erie, and Allentown – dating back to 1947.
Sadly, many of the cover-ups detailed in the report happened too long ago for prosecutors to pursue criminal charges against the abusers. Some within the grand jury are arguing that the older victims should be allowed to pursue personal injury lawsuits against the church for the overwhelming trauma inflicted upon them during their youth despite the state’s statute of limitations due to the egregious nature of the abuse.
Contact Pennsylvania Personal Injury Attorney Jason Matzus
Personal injury attorney Jason Matzus has been advocating for his injured client’s best interests for over twenty years. If you or a family member have been a victim of sexual abuse by a priest and would like to discuss your legal options regarding the pursuit of a claim for clergy sexual abuse, please contact Attorney Matzus now by using his fully confidential online contact form for a free consultation.
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