News & Events

Nov 22, 2010: Keeping Pressure on the Pope

We cannot be fooled.  As we previewed here, the Pope gathered his cardinals last week in Rome, and promised a meaningful discussion regarding clergy childhood sexual abuse.  In reality, as SNAP laments, the meeting of cardinals at the Vatican last week was just as expected, no action, no change, no substance.

Nov 11, 2010: The Pope and his Cardinals: More of the same

Pope Benedict has called the Cardinals across the world to the Vatican for “a day of reflection and prayer” next week.  This promises to be more of the same—all talk, no action.  What the Pope should be doing is calling law enforcement from across the globe to the Vatican to investigate and prosecute those who have committed and been complicit in the sexual abuse of children.

Nov 10, 2010: Former Wisconsin high school student filed a lawsuit against his former teacher for producing and possessing pornographic images

A former high school student from Racine, Wisconsin, filed a lawsuit
against his former teacher for producing and possessing pornographic
images of the student but also included anyone who downloaded the porn
as defendants.

This lawsuit is part of a trend where victims of child pornography
are suing their perpetrators under a federal statute that provides for
damages of at least $150,000 for each image produced or possessed. That means any
person who downloaded the internet porn containing images of the
student is subject to this lawsuit.  This is the third such lawsuit that
has been filed in the upper Midwest, with the other two being f

Nov 10, 2010: Downloaders Beware: Unusual legal tactic against teacher who used student in porn also applies to those who would view it

A former high school student from Racine, Wisconsin, filed a lawsuit against his former teacher for producing and possessing pornographic images of the student but also included anyone who downloaded the porn as defendants. This lawsuit is part of a trend where victims of child pornography are suing their perpetrators under a federal statute that provides for damages of at least $150,000 for each image produced or possessed. That means any person who downloaded the internet porn containing images of the student is subject to this lawsuit.  This is the third such lawsuit that has been…

Nov 04, 2010: Oprah To Air Show About Sexually Abused Men

In the audience will be 200 men who are survivors of sexual
abuse.  One of the themes of the show is
that sexual abuse of boys is a much larger problem than most realize.  According to the National Center for Victims
of Crime, it is estimated that one in six boys will experience an episode of
sexual abuse before his eighteenth birthday. 
Most are abused by either a family member or someone outside of the
family whom they know and trust.

Nov 03, 2010: Reduced Bail for Latino Priest Poses Threat to Children

An recent op-ed authored by Martha Escutia discussed the case of Fr. Alejandro Castillo, a priest at Our Lady of Guadalupe in Ontario, California accused of abusing a minor parishioner.    The case of Fr.  Castillo now reads as an eerily familiar pattern of failure in properly handling credibly accused priests among clergy and an avoidance of the justice system.   News released yesterday announced that Castillo, charged with molesting a 12-year-old minor parishioner, won a reduced bail, from $1million down to $300,000.  Prosecutors argued in vain to the judge that Castillo is a flight risk, as he has family in Mexico, and still poses a danger to children. 

Sep 29, 2010: “What The Pope Knew” Features Jeff Anderson and Many Courageous Clients

CNN aired a powerful documentary last weekend, “What The Pope Knew”, that features many of our courageous clients.  In the documentary, Jeff Anderson is interviewed and provides insightful commentary on the Catholic hierarch’s failures in handling the childhood sexual abuse crisis, and the strength of our clients in coming forward to expose pedophile priests.  Jeff described the church’s policies and procedures to handle child sexual abuse by clergy as being institutionally deficient: “the whole process is designed to avoid scandal.”   Many of our courageous clients are…

Sep 28, 2010: Legal Help and Hope for Latino Victims of Childhood Sexual Abuse

Martha Escutia, a lawyer and former state senator in California, is partnering with our firm to combat the clergy childhood sexual abuse crisis in the Latino community.  She will appear on CNN this evening as a panelist discussing “What The Pope Knew”, a documentary that aired last weekend on CNN and will air tomorrow globally on CNN Spanish channels.   Ms. Escutia recently authored a compelling op/ed piece for the Latino community newspapers in Southern California.  Ms. Escutia’s op/ed is a call to Latino Catholics to make child safety a priority by making it safe for those… (Con traducción en español)

Sep 25, 2010: Las fallas del Papa

Mañana CNN presentará un documental sobre la participación del Papa Benedicto XVI en los abusos sexuales contra menores por parte del clero.  Lo que el Papa Sabía se presentará hoy a las 9 de la noche.   Hasta ahora, la mayoría de los reportajes sobre el Papa y su papel en el abuso sexual a manos del clero se ha enfocado en casos particulares. El documental de CNN es mucho más amplio e incluye las decisiones que tomó el Papa cuando era arzobispo en Alemania y cuando estaba a cargo del departamento del Vaticano se suponía debía manejar los reportes de abuso sexual perpetrados por el…

Sep 24, 2010: The Pope’s Failings

This weekend CNN will air a documentary about the Pope’s involvement in clergy sexual abuse. What the Pope Knew debuts Saturday at 8 pm EST and runs again Saturday at 11 pm EST and Sunday at 8 pm and 11pm EST. Until now most of the coverage about the Pope and his role in clergy sexual abuse has focused on individual cases. CNN’s documentary takes a much broader look at the Pope’s decisions when he was an Archbishop in Germany and when he was in charge of the Vatican’s department that was supposed to deal with clergy sexual abuse. More information about the documentary is…