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“Courage, my friends; ‘tis not too late to build a better world.” – Tommy DouglasThe past year will be remembered for many things but for us, one thing stood out from the turbulence of 2017:Courage.The courage of survivors to confront sexual abuse, sexual harassment and all forms of sexual misconduct in spite of their fears and the systems stacked against them amazed and inspired us in 2017. The groundswell that began with clergy sexual abuse survivors in the 1980s and 2000s,  energized Bill Cosby and Harvey Weinstein survivors and emboldened survivors of sexual misconduct by priests…

A recent Jezebel story profiling survivor advocate Joelle Casteix is an inspiration and reminder to everyone fighting on behalf of sexual abuse survivors, that persistence pays off. For over a decade, Joelle has repeatedly demanded that her abuser, Thomas Hodgman, be fired from Adrian College in Michigan where he works as a music professor – a similar position he held when he sexually abused Joelle at Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana when she was 15 years old. Joelle was inspired by the #MeToo movement that has swept the country in recent months, to write an open letter to Adrian College and…

The holiday season is upon us and hardly anyone is exempt from the added stressors it often brings. Holidays can be particularly difficult for survivors of childhood sexual abuse. For many survivors, the holiday season can be filled with anxiety and depression, and can even open old wounds. For survivors of clergy abuse, the holiday season itself can lead to triggers and unwanted memories. As many survivors of clergy abuse struggle with regaining or maintaining their faith into their adulthood, the constant symbols of Christmas everywhere they go may also serve as a reminder of the abuse…

Survivors of clergy sexual abuse in the Archdiocese of New York have until Wednesday, November 1 to file claims in the Archdiocese’s Independent Reconciliation and Compensation Plan (IRCP). There should never be a deadline for survivors to share their truth and seek justice. Unfortunately, New York’s harsh statute of limitations does not allow for perpetrators and the institutions that sheltered them to be exposed in a court of law. Although it is imperfect, the IRCP is the only way survivors of child sexual abuse can seek justice in New York at this time. Jeff Anderson & Associates has…

In Chapter 6 of the 2002 World Report on Violence and Health, the World Health Organization (WHO) defines sexual violence as: “Any sexual act, attempt to obtain a sexual act, unwanted sexual comments or advances, or acts to traffic, or otherwise directed, against a person’s sexuality using coercion, by any person regardless of their relationship to the victim, in any setting, including but not limited to home and work.”In the same report, the WHO states, “Sexual violence has generally been a neglected area of research in most parts of the world, yet the evidence suggests that it is a public…

The recent reports of sexual harassment and sexual assault by Hollywood film producer and co-founder of Miramax, Harvey Weinstein, is yet another scandal that exposes a culture that became a system of secrecy. This is not the first powerful figure or institution to face allegations of sexual violence and cover-up. However, truth revealed is progress! From actor Bill Cosby, to former Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert, to football coaches, to Olympic Team doctors, to teachers of the Word of God, all of these men have one thing in common – power.Sexual violence is not about sex. It is all about…

Cook County Judge Dennis Porter recently ruled that convicted child molester and former priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago, Daniel McCormack, is a sexually violent person.  For him to be declared a sexually violent person, prosecutors had to prove, that after previous convictions of sexual violence, McCormack has a pedophilic disorder and will reoffend again.  While speaking directly at McCormack in the courtroom, Judge Porter said, “I have no reasonable doubt that you will engage in future acts of sexual violence.” The Chicago Sun Times recently reported the news of the ruling…

On Friday, August 11, 2017, Gov. Rauner signed a law eliminating the criminal statute of limitations for child sexual abuse. We applaud the survivors who stood up and spoke out to get the law changed. The new law recognizes the importance of taking child sexual abuse seriously and acknowledges that victims of child sexual abuse need more time to come forward.Studies have long showed that victims of child sexual abuse are not able to come forward for years after the abuse. Often, victims are groomed by offenders who have a powerful hold on victims and their families. Other times, victims face s…

In the past few weeks, the Taylor Swift “groping case” has populated
headlines. Aside from the Grammy Award winning singer’s trial, this
week’s headlines also covered the Catholic Church “scandal.” When words
such as “groping” and “scandal” are used in place of sexual assault and
sexual abuse, we need to call it out. If we do not call it what it is,
we only perpetuate this horrific crime. Naming sexual violence is the
first step in shining a light on this enormous problem. Sexual abuse is
not a scandal, it is an act of violence. Sexual assault is not about
sex; it is about power and control.

Since October of 2016, survivors of sexual abuse by clerics of the Archdiocese of New York have been able to participate in a voluntary and confidential compensation program called the IRCP or Independent Reconciliation and Compensation Program. Originally, the deadline for participation was set at July 31, 2017.  THE DEADLINE FOR CLAIMS AGAINST THE ARCHDIOCESE OF NEW YORK HAS BEEN EXTENDED UNTIL NOVEMBER 1, 2017.