Marci Hamilton, counsel for deceased sexual abuse victim Sean McIlmail in his estate’s wrongful-death claim, believes that the ruling for transparency by Common Pleas Court Judge Mark I. Bernstein is a first in priest sex-abuse filings against the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. This ruling allows for the public disclosure of some case related information that the […]
There are few betrayals as painful and profoundly damaging as the treachery of a pastor who sexually abuses children. For some victims, the damage lasts a lifetime, causing them anxiety and depression, and diminishing their ability to trust people and to enjoy life. A man who might have escaped being held accountable for his actions […]
The prevalence of sexual assault on college campuses in our country has gained a lot of media attention in the last few months. Many high-profile cases have illustrated not only how many campuses handle cases involving rape and incidences of sexual assault, but how poorly these cases may be handled, leaving victims typically feeling as […]
Anyone who follows the news on a regular basis has probably noticed that high-profile stories about child sexual abuse have become sadly common. This does not mean, however, that sexual abuse itself has become more common. Rather, it likely means that abuse is becoming more widely reported, prompting much-needed public discussions. Child sex abuse is […]
Reality television has long allowed Americans to view individuals and families who, ironically, don’t seem real. There are, of course, plenty of shows that manufacture conflict and petty behavior for audience entertainment. But on the other end of the spectrum are families, often wholesome in a way that makes viewers wonder whether it is genuine. […]
Although it remains a difficult subject for most people to discuss, the issue of child sex abuse is being made public in some very important ways. After the Jerry Sandusky scandal that shook communities throughout Pennsylvania, a filmmaker released the documentary “Happy Valley,” in part, to keep public dialogue alive. Recently, another documentary filmmaker has […]
Pennsylvania State Representative Mark Rozzi will be hosting a press conference for House Bill 2067 on Wednesday, April 30th in the media room at the capitol building in Harrisburg. This bill would suspend the civil and criminal statute of limitations in cases of sexual abuse allowing victims to publicly expose their sexual predators in court. […]
There has been a lot of forwarding momentum in recent months in the lawsuits against Penn State regarding the crimes committed by Jerry Sandusky. The former assistant football coach will effectively spend the rest of his life in prison after being convicted of 45 criminal counts related to sexually abusing dozens of young boys. Although […]
A couple of weeks ago, we wrote that California legislators were attempting to pass a bill that would temporarily suspend the statute of limitations for cases of childhood sexual abuse. The legislation seeks to allow victims who suffered sexual abuse as a child to file lawsuits even if they are outside the statute of limitations. […]
Student sexual abuse is an uncomfortable topic to discuss or address, but silence and inaction only allow the behavior to continue. While it didn’t occur here in Philadelphia, one recent case shows that schools and school districts that fail to respond to reports of student sexual abuse will almost certainly be held liable later on. Three young […]