Over the last few years, victims of child sexual abuse at the hands of clergy members in Maryland have been coming forward to hold their abusers (and the church) accountable. Our lawyers handle these cases in Maryland and throughout the country.
A groundswell of public support has developed around these victims, and for obvious reasons. The sexual abuse of young children is universally reviled by all cultures. Just the thought of a child being sexually abused by a priest or pastor can send chills down the spine. The victims of childhood sexual abuse are left permanently scarred and damaged in a very real way.
The wave of abuse allegations and public attention has prompted a movement in favor of holding the clergy abusers and their churches accountable. For the individual clergy members who committed the abuse, accountability often means criminal charges. For the church institutions that allow the abuse to happen, however, accountability has come in the form of civil lawsuits and monetary damages. Over the last decade, religious organizations have paid out over $3 billion in clergy sexual abuse lawsuits.
