Childhood sexual abuse doesn’t stop when you grow up. It affects your whole life. It’s time to end the silence.

If you are a survivor of clergy abuse, you are not alone. We are here to help sexual abuse survivors of all ages. Contacting us is free, and your information will remain private. Take action today by calling or filling out the form on this page.

The Catholic Church has been rocked by sexual abuse scandals involving clergy members for decades. From the shocking revelations in Boston in the 1990s to the establishment of compensation programs for survivors in New York in 2017, the pressure has been mounting. The Catholic Church should be held accountable for the horrific abuse and the cover-ups that followed.

Things hit a tipping point in August 2018 when a scathing Pennsylvania Grand Jury report revealed:

• Leaders of the Catholic Church in Pennsylvania covered up more than 300 cases of child sexual abuse by priests over the course of 70 years
• There were over 1,000 identifiable survivors in six of Pennsylvania’s eight Catholic dioceses involved

Other states have now launched official investigations into this epidemic of sexual abuse of children by the Catholic Church. Since this first-of-its-kind examination by a U.S. government agency, dozens of attorneys general have sought advice from the Pennsylvania Attorney General on how to manage similar inquiries in their states.

Church officials in multiple states have also released lists of priests who have been credibly accused of sexual abuse. Since August 2018, lists have been released by at least 35 dioceses across states including Illinois, Texas, and New Jersey.

While publishing lists of accused priests may seem like a step in the right direction, many worry that the Church merely wants the public to interpret these actions as a change of behavior without actually doing anything. As a case in point, a Texas list was released only after federal investigators raided the offices of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston.

While sexual abuse within the Catholic Church is well known, other institutions also have a troubling history of abuse. Read more here.

Many investigators are skeptical that the Catholic Church will fully cooperate with law enforcement since some high-profile church leaders are implicated in the very cover-ups being investigated. It’s important for survivors of clergy sexual abuse to obtain representation when they are ready to take legal action against the church. An attorney can look out for your best interests and protect your legal rights.

You may be entitled to compensation from the Catholic Church if you are the survivor of childhood sexual abuse or if you are a close relative—such as a parent or spouse—of a deceased survivor.

Talking about childhood sexual abuse can be difficult, but it’s the first step in the healing process. Standing up against your abuser may also protect others by stopping the abuse from happening again.