Every story is unique and only a seasoned sexual abuse lawyer can advise you on the best course of action.
Chicago, IL – Sexual abuse is one of the most terrible crimes, but when it is about children suffering in silence at the hands of the priests that were supposed to offer them guidance the viciousness of the crime takes a whole new dimension. The past decades have seen a flurry of gut-wrenching disclosures about church sexual abuse, the vast majority of the cases concerning the Catholic Church. Unfortunately, not all the victims have found the courage to speak out against their aggressors, nor did the abuse stop. There are still perverts hiding behind a clerical robe, evil people who should answer for their unspeakable crimes. In Illinois alone, there have been accusations of sexual molestation against hundreds of members of the clergy, but only a fraction of them have been brought to justice. Under Illinois law, children who suffered sexual abuse before 2017 have until their 38th birthday to file a lawsuit. In 2017, the statute of limitations for sexual abuse against children was completely eliminated so from that date on there is no time limit for victims to file a lawsuit.
Photo by Josh Applegate on UnsplashSome victims may think there’s plenty of time, they can go public with their story at a later time, but it’s not just about you. If the priest who abused you is still active, still a respected member of the community he is probably preying on other innocent children. Speaking out against those who ruined your childhood is not only about getting justice but also about removing evil people from the community and protecting other kids. All you have to do is reach out to an experienced church sexual abuse lawyer in Chicago and tell them your story.
Who can you sue for church sexual abuse?
Every story is unique and only a seasoned sexual abuse lawyer can advise you on the best course of action. In many cases, you can file a lawsuit against the priest who took away your innocence, the man in a black robe that crops up in your nightmares.
However, in some cases, you can file a lawsuit against the local diocese or the church itself. Your lawyers will have to do a lot of digging to understand whether the leaders of your local diocese had knowledge of the perverted actions of your priest. In most cases, they did. The bishop knew, the higher-ups in the Vatican knew and no one did anything. Maybe some hush money changed hands to shut up other victims, maybe the evil-minded priest was moved to another parish, where no one suspected the respected father enjoyed harming little boys and girls.
If you were molested as a child, you must look up lawyers with plenty of experience in this area of the law because you’re up against a formidable enemy. The Catholic Church has lots of money and very good lawyers who would stop at nothing in their impossible mission to protect a church whose image was badly tarnished by the horrifying disclosure of past abuse. Never mind what they may say against you, no one will believe them. Your lawyers will be there for you and the public opinion will be there for you. If you speak out today, you can save another child a lot of suffering.
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