Sexual Assault and Abuse Claims

The psychological impact of crime including sexual abuse and assault varies substantially from individual to individual.  And while most victims are resilent and many victims recover on their own, some victims develop persistent problems that may last a lifetime.  Statistics show that 80% of victims of sexual abuse are under the age of 18.  Of those, between 20% and 30% are women and between 10% and 15% are men.  Furthermore, while there is a difference between being affected and being substantially harmed, interpersonal crimes such as these have the strongest psychological impact.

For those individuals who do not quickly return to baseline or fail to recover within months without treatment, the persistent effects of sexual abuse can result in an extreme or significant acute response that results in either no recovery or continued deterioration.  These acute responses can be (1) crime-specific psychological conditions such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), (2) Non-specific psychological conditions such as substance abuse disorders, depression, or other conditions with multiple pathways, (3) exacerbation of pre-existing conditions, or (4) personal and crime specific factors that interact to produce individual consequences.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a trauma specific diagnosis that requires exposure to trauma and subjective experience of fear/horror/helplessness that results in impairment.  Considered a "failure to recover" it is often co-morbid with other conditions such as depression and other anxiety related disorders.  If it lasts for more than 6 months, it is considered chronic and often requires treatment for recovery and may persist for many years.  Risk variables for the individual may include gender, temperament or constitutional characteristics, prior psychiatric history or prior trauma.  Crime specific variables may include the severity of the crime, perceived life threat, shame, and exposure to multiple episodes over extended periods of time.

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Blog for Sexual Assault and Abuse Claims

• Chicago Catholic Diocese Settles Priest Sex Abuse Case for $1.2 Million
• Vermont Judge Denies Church Defense that Sex Abuse Claim barred by Statute of Limitations
• Survivors Network of those Abused by Priest Organization (SNAP )Says New Bishop in Wisconsin Isn't Doing Enough Against Clergy Abuse
• New Jersey Teacher Arrested for Sexual Abuse of Minor
• Jewish Council Calls for Stronger Reporting Requirements in Childhood Sexual Abuse Cases
• Son of Promient Delaware Politician Files Suit Against Catholic Boys School Under Delaware's New Law
• Group Calls for Boycott of Financial Contributions to Catholic Church Due to Clergy Sexual Abuse
• Sexually Abused Victims' Organization Demand sMore from Catholic Church
• Archbishop Testifies About Hiding Past Abuses of Sexual Predator Priests
• Massachusetts Diocese Settlement involved Arbitration where Church Waived Certain Defenses
• Ex-Priest in California Admits to Sexual Abuse of Minors
• Oregon Court Orders Catholic Archdiocese to Release Records of Sexual Abuse by Clergy
• Catholic Church Not Only Religious Organization that has issue with Sexual Abuse
• New York Cop Outs His Former Teacher and Priest as Sexual Predator
• Federal Circuit Court Permits Sex Abuse Claim to Proceed against Vatican
• Massachusetts Diocese Settles for $4.5 Million with 59 Clergy Sex Abuse Victims
• Boston Priest Loses Appeal in Sexual Abuse Case
• Sexual Abuse Survivor Calls for Legislative Reform in Maryland
• Sexual Abuse of Children Affects Everyone; that's Why We Need to Eliminate Statutes of Limitations for Childhood Sexual Abuse
• Crime Victims of Sexual Assault by Teachers, Coaches, and Counselors Can Seek Civil Damages
• 6th Circuit Court of Appeals lets Vatican sex-abuse case proceed
• Brooklyn Politician Raises Spector of Sexual Abuse in the Jewish Orthodox Community but refuses to name names
• Church Youth Group Volunteer at Bucks County First United Methodist Church Charged in Sex Case Involving Minors
• Ex-Jesuit Priest from Illinois Convicted in Sexual Abuse Case
• Leaders of Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests and BishopAccountability.org Criticize New York Catholic Prep School for Harboring Priests who were Sex Abusers
• Michigan Jury Awards $3.69 million to Victim who was sexually abused for years

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Library for Sexual Assault and Abuse Claims:

• Sexually abused child allowed to bring law suit because Statute of Limitations Stayed during military service   
  Description: In sexual abuse cases that are often decades old and where the childhood victims were reluctant to come forward until after the statute of limitations had expired, one exception to the rule was utilized in Minnesota where a plaintiff who had been in the military for over 20 years was able to purse his claim. The statute of limitations is suspended often times when plaintiffs are serving in the armed forces.
• Case before Vermont Jury will not have to consider the Catholic Church's argument that a crime victim waited too long to pursue his case   
  Description: In another case of sexual abuse of a minor by a Catholic Priest, a Vermont Judge has thrown out the defense that the crime victim waited too long to file the claim. Pennsylvania does not have a similar provision and limits childhood sexual victims only until age 30 to bring a civil claim. If you have questions about a similar claim in Pennsylvania CALL Dan Monahan TOLL FREE 1-866-307-3888 or 1-610-363-888 and order our FREE BOOK: CRIME VICTIM’S GUIDE TO RECOVERING DAMAGES FOR YOUR INJURIES.
• Statute of Limitations Limits Recovery for Massachusetts Victims of Clergy Sexual Abuse   
  Description: Gauge the ugliness and duration. Measure the fallout: drugs, divorce, hospitalizations, suicide attempts. Then ask whether the settlements against the Catholic Church for clergy sexual abuse are adequate. Often times, state statutes of limitation prevent cases from proceeding and pose obstacles to adequate compensation for victims. ORDER our FREE BOOK: CRIME VICTIM'S GUIDE TO RECOVERING DAMAGES FOR YOUR INJURIES by calling TOLL FREE 866-307-3888 or 610-363-3888.
• Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests) want the Diocese to work proactively to promote healing and prevent future incidents of sexual abuse   
  Description: Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP)has published 18 non-monetary demands which include, in part: publicly releasing the names of clergy responsible for sexual abuse, posting known abusers on the diocesan web site for at least nine years, and for the bishop to visit parishes where known abusers have served, included deceased perpetrators. If you've been sexually abused by a priest, counselor, teacher or other person in authority, contact MONAHAN LAW PRACTICE for a FREE CONFIDENTIAL CONSULTATION AT 866-307-3888 and ORDER OUR FREE CRIME VICTIM'S GUIDE TO RECOVERING DAMAGES FOR YOUR INJURIES
• Study Reveals Prevalence of Clergy Sex Abuse of Youths [PDF]   
  Description: The amount of youths sexually abused by predator priests is evaluated in this study. Dan Monahan would be happy to provide you with a FREE CONFIDENTIAL CONSULTATION by calling 1-866-307-3888 and providing you in advance OUR FREE GUIDES so you’re prepared the ask the important questions about your case.
• Retired Archbishop of Milwaukee has testified under oath that he moved abusive priests from parish to parish without revealing their past behavior   
  Description: How a church leader dealt with priests who molested children: Retired Archbishop Rembert Weakland has testified that he moved such priests from one parish to another without alerting parishioners or notifying police.
• Church waives Statute of Limitations Defense and Settles Sexual Abuse Claims in Arbitration Procedure   
  Description: The Diocese of Springfield has reached agreements with 59 men and women who came forward to speak of their past abuse by clergy and religious. Each had been invited to participate in a voluntary arbitration process. The claims of abuse date back to 1948. In addition to these financial settlements, all victims remain eligible to receive continuing counseling and assistance programs through the diocese.
• Review of Professor Marci Hamilton's Book Entitled "Justice Denied: What America Must Do to Protect Its Children   
  Description: The elimination of the statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse is the only solution to combat the triple forces of the catholic church, insurance industry, and teacher unions to prevent and eliminate protect children.
• Learn the sign and symptoms of child abuse and how to report it   
  Description: 906,000 children per year are estimated to be victims of childhood abuse which has devastating consequences for years to come
• Advice on Child Sex Abuse from the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry   
  Description: Child sexual abuse has been reported up to 80,000 times a year, but the number of unreported instances is far greater, because the children are afraid to tell anyone what has happened, and the legal procedure for validating an episode is difficult. The problem should be identified, the abuse stopped, and the child should receive professional help. The long-term emotional and psychological damage of sexual abuse can be devastating to the child.

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Web Resources for Sexual Assault and Abuse Claims:

• PA School Watch

  Description: A Pennsylvania organization providing updated information regarding sexual predator teachers and important developments in this field.

• The Foundation to Abolish Child Sex Abuse

  Description: A Pennsylvania organization devoted to providing the latest news, questions about Statutes of Limitations across the country, links to other sites, and facts about the sexual abuse of children and the campaign to abolish same.

• Bishop Accountability

  Description: An organization that monitors and reports on important developments in the field of sexual abuse by clergy

• National Association to Prevent Sexual Abuse of Children (NAPSAC)

  Description: National Organization dedicated to protecting children from sexual abuse which is an American tragedy. Estimates from the FBI and academic studies indicate that one in four girls is sexually abused before the age of eighteen and one in six boys will be abused before the age of eighteen.

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The Monahan Law Practice
300 North Pottstown Pike
Suite 210
Exton, PA 19341-2233

Phone: (610) 363-3888
Fax: (610) 363-2429