There are few crimes more painful or embarrassing to victims than sexual assault. Especially when men in authority are the ones perpetrating these crimes: Teachers, coaches, doctors and other professionals in positions of power and authority. When these tragedies occur, it is important for victims to find the courage needed to stand up and fight […]
The sexual abuse of a minor is a terrible crime against the victim and all of society. Often, the people who commit these kinds of crimes are close to the victim’s family or are people in positions of authority over the victim, like a coach, babysitter or teacher. After a child confides in a loved […]
The Jehovah’s Witness Church settled a lawsuit brought by a victim of child sexual. The victim was represented by Jeffrey P. Fritz of our office. The terms of the confidential settlement cannot be disclosed, but the victim alleged that the church elders in her congregation intentionally did not report the child sexual abuse to the […]
Attorney Jeffrey P. Fritz settled a lawsuit on the fifth day of trial against the Jehovah’s Witness Church for a sexual abuse cover-up involving two members of the Spring Grove, PA congregation. Mr. Fritz represented a minor that was sexually assaulted over the course of two years, even after the parents of the minor alerted […]
When people talk about post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), most people immediately think about members of the military. Those who see combat often experience post traumatic stress. Between 10 and 30 percent of veterans from any given conflict likely experience PTSD as a result. As sad as that statistic is, the rates of PTSD in […]
From the Bill Cosby sexual assault scandal, to the decision in Dollar General Corporation v. Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, 2016 has seen the spread of sexual assault awareness nationwide. Rebecca O’ Connor, the vice president of public policy for the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN) said that the prevalence of headline-grabbing sexual assaults reported […]
Tempers flared as Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele confronted the Cosby defense team about their public identification of multiple sexual assault accusers. Steele sought to limit this “intimidation” tactic by the defense. The parties were in court Tuesday morning because the defense seeks to limit the number of accusers permitted to testify in the […]
In 1997, an official directive was issued to all Jehovah’s Witness elders instructing them to report allegations of child sexual abuse to the New York headquarters, and not the authorities, in a special blue envelope. The church now refuses to turn over to the court any information regarding the names and whereabouts of the child […]
According to a lawsuit filed last week, a sexual assault victim received a written apology from one of the accused sexual assaulters. Former football players Marques Ford and John Bowers are accused of raping the victim. In a series of messages sent by Bowers to the victim, he says he was “disgusted” with his own […]
One of the two alleged perpetrators, former football player Marques Ford, was charged with “a sexual offense of flagrantly lewd and inappropriate conduct which would violate the laws of New Jersey.” Rutgers was aware of this charge, and upon being notified of the sexual assault by the second alleged perpetrator, John Bowers, told witnesses and […]