The Catholic sex abuse scandal may result in bankruptcy for New York dioceses, due to thousands of claims and lawsuits lodged against bishops, priests, and other clergy members.

New York Diocese Settlements

According to the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, almost 1,500 claims have been filed against the eight New York Catholic church dioceses so far. Almost 1,300 of these Catholic sex abuse claims have resulted in payouts and cash settlements for the victims. Individual victim settlements have been as high as $125,000. These victim payouts have so far totaled over $228 million.

Many additional claims are still being processed, and are expected to result in additional payments of tens of millions of dollars. Other dioceses have filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after similar claims have depleted the church’s funds.

What is the Child Victims Act?

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the Child Victims Act into law on Feb. 14, 2019. This legislation extends the amount of time for victims to file lawsuits regarding past sex abuse by raising the age limit for victims to file civil claims to age 55. It also creates a one-year window of time for victims whose cases have expired under the previous statute of limitations to file lawsuits and pursue compensation.

According to Buffalo News, the Child Victims Act had been stalled for years due to negotiations between the Catholic Church and victim advocates, as well as a Republican-controlled New York State Senate.

Prior to the new legislation, New York’s child abuse and sexual assault laws were some of the strictest in the nation, restricting victims to a very short statute of limitations. The previous laws also prohibited victims from seeking damages against institutions, rather than individuals.

Effects of the New York Child Victims Act

The Child Victims Act will make it possible for victims to pursue justice from Catholic church clergy members, as well as volunteers or employees with other organizations including public and private schools, the Boy Scouts, day cares, and after school programming including kids’ sports teams. Under New York’s previous laws, it was very difficult for victims to bring lawsuits against organizations and churches.

The recent legislative developments are being hailed as a win for Catholic sex abuse victims across the state, many of whom are hoping that other states follow New York’s example. The amount of Catholic sex abuse victims is unknown, as more victims are coming forward with credible claims all the time. Victim advocates are hopeful that the new legislation will encourage more victims to speak out about their experiences and bring those accountable to justice.

If you have been a victim of sexual abuse by a clergy member of the Catholic church, you may qualify to join a Catholic sex abuse lawsuit or investigation and pursue compensation and justice for your experiences and suffering.