A New York resident has filed a Catholic sexual abuse lawsuit against his alma mater, saying that when he was in second grade, a nun who worked at his Catholic school abused him physically and sexually.

The Catholic sex abuse lawsuit was filed by Charles P., a 66-year-old man, against both the Diocese of Brooklyn and St. Michael’s Catholic Academy, in Flushing, New York. He claimed that he suffered abuse at the hands of Sister Mary J., who passed away in 2018. According to the diocese, the nun was a member of the Sisters of St. Joseph order.

Commenting on Charles’ sex abuse lawsuit, the Diocese of Brooklyn notes that Charles’ lawsuit is the first one made against Sister Mary J. at St. Michael’s Catholic Academy. Charles allegedly attended St. Michael’s from 1959 to 1960.

The St. Michael’s Catholic sexual abuse lawsuit says that Charles was “really savagely beaten” by the nun, who allegedly injured him through a number of tactics, including by kicking him in the groin and the head. According to Charles, the nun “singled out” the boy, abusing him front of his classmates.

Charles claims that the nun was violent and aggressive towards him. Allegedly, she behaved this way towards him in order to degrade and abuse him, and for the purpose of “gratifying her own sexual desire.”

Allegedly, Charles’ parents removed him from the school after he suffered abuse. Charles states that though the abuse occurred years ago, he “continues to suffer great physical and mental pain and anguish” as well as a “loss of spirituality” as a result of the abuse he suffered.

What Is the New York Child Victims Act?

The St. Michael’s Catholic sexual abuse lawsuit was filed under New York’s Child Victims Act, a new law that increased the statute of limitations for lawsuits filed over alleged childhood sexual abuse.

The Daily News explains that before the Child Victims Act was passed, the statute of limitations for such claims stipulated that a childhood victim of sexual abuse had until their 23rd birthday to file a civil lawsuit over their alleged abuse. Now, victims have until age 55 to file claims, and for the next year, there are no limits on how old a case can be to be the brought to court — the law’s “look back window” allows old claims to be brought forward.

According to USA Today, the law also increases the statute of limitations for criminal claims, increasing the limit by five years.

The Child Victims Act went into effect in August 2019, and the Queens Daily Eagle reported that as of December 2019, almost 1,200 survivors have filed sexual assault lawsuits under the law.

The Catholic Church has faced many allegations of sexual abuse in recent years, attempting to settle some of them out of court with the help of victims compensation funds. Receiving benefits from such funds prevent victims from filing future lawsuits against the church, but may provide some compensation, especially for those victims whose claims would otherwise be barred by the statute of limitations.

This article is not legal advice. It is presented
for informational purposes only.