There’s a general presumption that those who work with children, whether as educators, coaches or medical professionals, do so because they want the best for the kids. While that may be true of the vast majority of people who work with children, teens and young adults, some people seek these kinds of positions because they […]
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 […]
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 […]
The federal Survivors’ Bill of Rights is groundbreaking legislation that will make reporting sexual assault easier for victims. The bill deals primarily with reporting and the treatment of rape kits. This bill was welcomed by an estimated 25 million rape survivors nationwide and approved unanimously in the House after clearing the Senate. It awaits President Obama’s signature […]
Earlier this week, we began a discussion about the movie “Spotlight,” which has earned numerous accolades and is nominated for several Oscars. It tells the story of a small group of reporters from the Boston Globe who publicly exposed one of the Catholic Church’s biggest and darkest secrets. Institutional complicity was a major theme of the movie. […]
We have previously written about the use of therapy dogs in court. For victims of sexual abuse – especially child victims – a trained canine companion can provide much-needed comfort and a sense of stability during what is often a traumatic experience. Therapy dogs are coming into wider use in courtrooms here in Pennsylvania and […]
Over the past two decades or so, the Catholic Church in the United States has been involved in a constant string of legal and financial battles. While these battles affect different dioceses at different times, they all share the same root cause: clergy sex abuse. Because of a near-complete failure – or refusal – to […]
In May, we wrote about a news story that spread like wildfire through the media. It concerned the Duggar family, stars of the reality television show “19 Kids and Counting.” The controversy began when the information was leaked to the press suggesting that the eldest son, Josh Duggar, had sexually molested 5 minor girls starting […]
One of the most loved and hated American companies right now is Uber. The company behind the app-based ride-sharing platform of the same name is disrupting traditional taxi services in major cities across the country, including Philadelphia. The ride-sharing model Uber offers is attractive to many because it is usually much cheaper than hiring a […]
We have written many previous posts about the clergy sex abuse scandal facing the Catholic Church. To be sure, child sexual abuse does occur in other denominations and in other religions. But cases involving Catholic priests are too numerous to count, and the Catholic Church’s complicity in covering up these crimes is undeniable. Unfortunately, bishops, […]