Victims around the country have alleged that they have suffered due to the Catholic Church sex abuse scandal. Many victims have told their stories publicly, ultimately raising awareness about the number of people who could have been affected across several decades.

The Catholic Church sex abuse scandal has received increasing attention in the media in recent years with more victims coming forward alleging abuse that dates back several decades. In response, some states have launched their own investigations into how their local area was affected by the Catholic Church sex abuse scandal, and now people in California are calling for a deep dive into the issues in the Golden State.

Calls for Catholic Church Sex Abuse Scandal Investigation in California

A victims group has called for an investigation in California in relation to the Catholic Church sex abuse scandal. Many of the victims in the Catholic Church sex abuse scandal were young men and boys who were exposed to abuse at the hands of priests.

The Survivors Network of Those Abused By Priests has a Bay Area chapter that intends to ask the California Attorney General to examine abuse as it could have occurred across California, according to an article by The Mercury News. Dozens of priests were implicated in a sex abuse scandal reported in the early 2000s, with dioceses located in San Francisco, Oakland, Los Angeles, and Stockton affected.

An original investigation in the Oakland diocese identified approximately 30 abusive priests. However, a news organization identified in 2008 that there were closer to 60. Many of the advocates pushing for better investigations believe that accurate numbers have never been made public, and those fighting for a better understanding in California believe that it is not clear just how far the scandal could reach.

The Survivors Network is calling for additional investigations of the Catholic Church sex abuse scandal in California to help determine the severity and depth of the problem and to empower victims.

Some advocates involved with supporting victims in the Catholic Church sex abuse scandal have also used the report that came out of Pennsylvania to push for other investigations in their states. Across the United States, there are nearly 200 dioceses, however, only around 40 of those have released lists of priests who have been accused of abusing children. Three different Catholic religious orders have filed for bankruptcy in order to address the thousands of lawsuits filed in relation to the Catholic Church sex abuse scandal.

Some of the victims who are coming forward to share their story claim that they were abused back in the 1970s, while others allege more recent abuses. As more victims continue to come forward in the Catholic Church sex abuse scandal and more investigations are picked up, victims may have grounds to participate in a class action lawsuit investigation.

If you or someone you know has been affected by the Catholic Church sex abuse scandal, you could have grounds for recourse in the form of legal action. Considering participation in a class action lawsuit investigation may be your next step.