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In the last several years, the Catholic church has increasingly had to reckon with accusations of decades’ worth of sexual assault and abuse committed by priests and other church leaders within its ranks, all across the country.
This was in large part prompted by a groundbreaking report published by a Pennsylvania grand jury back in August 2018, which revealed the names of more than 300 priests accused of sexual abuse against more than 1,000 children under their care.
The grand jury report has caused a wave of reactions across the country. In the wake of the report, Catholic dioceses all across the country have begun opening investigations, compensation programs, and even releasing lists of priests credibly accused of abuse.
The Roman Catholic diocese in San Diego announced in mid-2019 that those who were abused as children by priests in the diocese could submit Catholic sex abuse allegations to an independent compensation program. Other dioceses in California participating in the program included the Fresno, Orange, and Sacramento, as well as the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.
Payouts from these kinds of independent compensation programs have reached as much as $500,000 and are typically in that six-figure range, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.
The Catholic sex abuse compensation program was designed by Kenneth R. Feinberg and Camille S. Biros, who have previously worked on other compensation programs, such as Feinberg’s work on the September 11 victims compensation fund.
“These programs are generally well received by the victims,” Biros told the San Diego Union-Tribune of the various compensation programs that have been opened because of the Roman Catholic Church sex abuse scandal. “It’s not so much the money for the victims as much as the acknowledgment that two independent administrators believe them.”
According to Biros, the process involved in the compensation program would be relatively quick — no more than 90 days.
“We will evaluate all the documentation and corroborating information we have for clients,” said Biros at the time. “We’ve discussed with the dioceses some of the settlement offers we believe are appropriate, but there’s no limitation and they’ve agreed to abide by our judgment.”
“No amount of money will provide closure to victims,” said Feinberg. “But the program is a small step in helping victims secure some degree of financial security. A claimant who for years, decades, may have been ignored, now has a program where that claim will be acknowledged and validated. Do not underestimate the importance of this.”
Victims were allowed to file claims with the compensation program regardless of when the abuse occurred, even if it took place decades ago, and whether or not they have previously notified the dioceses of their allegations. The compensation fund closed in early 2020, with an initial deadline of Jan. 31, 2020 to register with the program, and a deadline of March 31 to file for compensation.
By January 21, 2020, $3.94 million had reportedly been authorized to give to 39 victim-survivors.
Filing Roman Catholic sex abuse allegations
More and more victims of sexual abuse by a priest are coming forward with their claims, alleging that they were abused by church leaders as children. In some cases, victims also allege that the abuse was covered up by other church leaders for decades.
If you are a victim of Catholic sex abuse in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, or California — even if that abuse occurred years or even decades ago — you may be eligible to file Roman Catholic sex abuse allegations.
Many states have recently expanded their statutes of limitations to allow more time for survivors to come forward with sex abuse allegations. Some have opened look back windows allowing survivors to file litigation no matter how long ago their abuse took place.
The California Child Victims Act was passed in 2019, and gives survivors of childhood sexual abuse until age 40 to pursue litigation. It also created a look back window for past abuse that falls outside of the statute of limitations, with a Dec. 31, 2022 deadline — less than three months away.
Consulting an attorney can help you determine if you have a claim, navigate the complexities of litigation or the settlement fund, and maximize your potential compensation. While filing a lawsuit can never take away the pain and suffering caused by abuse and trauma, it can at least help by providing monetary compensation, as well as hold those responsible for their actions and inactions.
Consulting an attorney can help you determine if you have a claim, navigate the complexities of litigation or the settlement fund, and maximize your potential compensation. While filing a lawsuit can never take away the pain and suffering caused by abuse and trauma, it can at least help by providing monetary compensation, as well as hold those responsible for their actions and inactions.
11 thoughts onCompensation program opened for California Roman Catholic sex abuse allegations
At the end of the day you know when we say our prayers just know that as victims we are not ever going to forget no matter how much money are pain are anger are fear of these things happening to our children our nieces and nephews brothers and sisters these are the people who we need to protect today and in the future so that these things can be caught before it happens. Maybe set up within the Catholic church an agent are county worker to over see that these kids today TODAY TODAY and in the future are not met with these terrible EVIL IMPOSTER priest. I don’t believe all are bad but there are to many to just keep turning the cheek. Honestly the way to rebuild is to break something down and start over. Take them for all they have and see then how strong there faith is when there evil is rewarded by them keeping even a red cent. I say reform the Catholic church by breaking them down all the way like they did the thousands of innocent boys and girls for decades on Decades. For those to fighting for us are our saviors and those that come forward are how we break them down. Reform the Catholic church I hope they lose it all like we have when we got violated. Reform the Catholic Church Take it all
I was molested for years by my principal/pastor. When I told my blind mother I was beat and told not to lie are we wouldn’t receive anymore school clothes and tuition from the same man that molested me all those years. So I kept quiet and then when I was told that I would be going to another catholic school after 8th grade I ran away from home . That man ruined my life and although it’s been many years it’s still affecting me today at 38
I am still having bad thoughts from my abuse i am 56 now and this was when i was 11 and 12 i was doing yard work for prist. Never did any yard work my father was deep into god and when i told him called me lyer and told Me man of god would never do such a thing i had been forced to go do work with this man till he druged me and went there i bleed for days my dad still did not believe Me since i dropped out of scool and ended up on drugs short time jail. Could not keep relationships destroyed my life had and still have trust issues and anger issues found out he got 3 years on another sex case then moved to Mex to continue his abuse at another church to this day i can not go into any church and i know God is there i happy the law is doing something now and i can get my name known as one who he abused to bad it destroyed my father and my relationship and my father past away in 2007 but on his death bed i told him i forgave him and loved him he cryed and said he wished he would had believed me. I pray that there is special place in hell for that man i am with sandman law and have been very positive and caring i am happy with the law firm i picked.
My nephew Shaun Micheal Roblee told me he is getting a lot of money from this lawsuit. He faultlessly filed with you a case that he was abused by the Catholic Church when he went to St. Boniface in Anaheim, California , He made it all up for money and there is no one alive to prove he is making it up. His mom said good for you get rich one way or another as long as you quit bugging me for money. They are thieves. I hope I don’t hear he received money from this because that would be a sin.
I am his aunt and I will call you all out. I’m Claudia and I know he is lying
I also don’t remember any names, but records are hopefully available,I went to a Catholic school in Watson ille Calif. 1st grade I believe it was 1966, I was touched inappropriately and when I complained to the nuns it would result in me being called a liar with smack on the backs of my hands, they never said shit to my folks which in time would wear. Me down thinking I was going to be punished by them too ,it got to when I was called or told to go to the office for no reason I would just run away from school , and before I could complete the year I was kicked out ,I’m not to sure if it was 1st or2nd grade .
I am now 72 years old. I was sexually abused by a priest and then beaten by the Nuns when I complained. This happened when I was in the 3rd grade and I still remember it like it was yesterday. No one ever listened and I was actually called a liar and punished even more until my mother took me out of the school! It still effects me to this day. I wish someone would go after that church and close it down. No one is going to help me now, but maybe they can stop it from happening to anyone else 😮💨
I understand when it happened to me I was attending Saint Helens Catholic Church and School and I to was in the third grade and I was hit by the nun and told to write 1000 times I will not lie on a disciple of God and I started to strike back at the nun and they kicked me out but kept me in the reach of the priest as I was forced to attend after school program ! I’m 48 years old and it still haunts me
I was 20 at the time. This happened in 1973, on a retreat at a monastery in the desert areas of Los Angeles County. This was not a completed incident, but the shock and hurt since I ran from the perpetrator left a very debilitating effect on my life at the time. It brought me to some very dark places that I can detail clearly.
This is for minors or underage at the time of the abuse.
What if i dont remember the name?
You can still be helped. Administrators have lists with dates and locations the offender may have served.