Australia… Queensland passes law to jail priests for not reporting confessions of child sexual abuse – ABC News 8 Sep 20209 Sep 2020 Priests in Queensland will now be compelled to break the seal of confession to report child sexual abuse or face three years in jail. Key points: The law was passed…
News… New York extends civil ‘look back’ for child sexual assault victims 8 May 202017 May 2020 NY Gov. Cuomo extended a “lookback window” created as part of the Child Victims Act last year that allows child sex abuse survivors of all ages to file civil suits…
Legislation… Montana sees flurry of child sex abuse lawsuits as deadline approaches 29 Apr 202017 May 2020 The one-year window Montana lawmakers opened to give child sex abuse survivors a chance to bring old claims is closing soon, and a flurry of lawsuits is hitting the courts.…
Clergy… Bisbee man confesses he’s molesting his daughter. Church tells bishop not to report abuse to authorities 22 Apr 202017 May 2020 State lawmaker vows to again introduce legislation to eliminate the so-called confessional exception when it comes to admissions of ongoing abuse. Source. AZCentral.com [USA Today Network]: Bisbee man confesses he's…
Investigations… Grand jury investigators are ‘dead serious’ about revealing sexual-abuse cover-ups among Jehovah’s Witnesses 14 Feb 202019 Feb 2020 Former Jehovah’s Witnesses who have testified before a state grand jury say investigators are seeking to shatter the wall of secrecy around the religion’s leaders and their response to sex…
Clergy… Court overturns $35 million sex abuse verdict against Jehovah’s Witnesses 10 Jan 202027 Jan 2020 In the ruling, justices cited a state law that says religious leaders do not have to report confidential child abuse allegations to authorities. BILLINGS, Mont. — The Montana Supreme Court…
Clergy… MT court reverses $35M Jehovah’s Witness case 8 Jan 202027 Jan 2020 The Jehovah's Witnesses of Thompson Falls, as well as its national headquarters, the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, failed to protect one of its members from child sexual abuse, a…
Catholic Church… A bill in the Utah State Legislature removes ‘priest-penitent’ privilege when it comes to child abuse 7 Jan 202027 Jan 2020 SALT LAKE CITY -- A bill made public ahead of the 2020 legislative session would remove the "priest-penitent" privilege when it comes to reporting abuse cases. House Bill 90, sponsored…
News… Montana victims alleging sex abuse in the Boy Scouts join national wave of suits 8 Nov 201918 Nov 2019 Amid a flurry of lawsuits filed across the nation against the Boy Scouts of America alleging sexual abuse of young Scouts, a national group of attorneys is gearing up to…
Investigations… ‘I Want to Be Heard’: Adult Sex-Abuse Victims Demand New Rights [NYT] 25 Oct 20191 Nov 2019 For more info click on link
Amish… The limits of religious freedom: America must come to grips with when faith groups limit personal liberty 19 Oct 20191 Nov 2019 When Pastor Robert Jeffress, a member of President Trump’s Evangelical Advisory Board and the White House Faith Initiative, recently dismissed climate activist Greta Thunberg by saying that rainbows are evidence…
Legislation… Long-ignored sex abuse claims leave Pennsylvania lawmakers grappling with fairness for alleged victims, institutions 9 Oct 201918 Oct 2019 Pennsylvania lawmakers may follow in other states' footsteps and allow sexual assault victims to sue their abusers years after the assault happened and remove the statute of limitations on prosecutions.…
Clergy… The grooming of children for sexual abuse in religious settings: Unique characteristics and select case studies 4 Oct 201918 Oct 2019 Abstract This article examines the sexual grooming of children and their caregivers in a wide variety of religious settings. We argue that unique aspects of religion facilitate institutional and interpersonal…
Catholic Church… The Catholic Church and Boy Scouts are lobbying against child abuse statutes. This is their playbook 2 Oct 201918 Oct 2019 Pennsylvania state Rep. Tom Murt slid into a pew at his childhood church, seeking a break from politics and the stress of work. Instead, Murt got an earful. In his sermon, the…
