Churches, Schools, and Medical Clinics Sued for Sexual Abuse in California
Over the past month alone, news reports have highlighted sexual abuse in schools, churches, and medical clinics across California. With so many people suing over such a short period of time, the Golden State clearly has a serious problem with sexual abuse. It seems like new survivors are coming forward on a weekly basis, whether they’re reporting abuse that occurred years ago or recovering from a recent incident. If you have experienced something similar, you are not alone in your pursuit of justice. An experienced sexual abuse attorney in San Francisco can help.
Los Angeles Archdiocese Agrees to Pay $880 Million Settlement
In what reporters describe as a record-breaking settlement, the Los Angeles Archdiocese has agreed to pay sexual abuse survivors $880 million. Over 1,300 people were part of this lawsuit, and some had been abused decades earlier. According to lawyers associated with the case, this is the most a Catholic archdiocese has ever paid for a child sex abuse settlement.
Archbishop Jose H. Gomez described the settlement as a “measure of healing,” stating:
“I am sorry for every one of these incidents, from the bottom of my heart.” […] “I believe that we have come to a resolution of these claims that will provide just compensation to the survivor-victims of these past abuses.”
This is not the first settlement the archdiocese has paid, having already provided victims with $740 million to settle previous claims. This brings the total settlement amount for the Los Angeles archdiocese to more than $1.5 billion – a staggering sum that represents decades of abuse suffered by countless people.
Attorneys connected with the case noted that many of these survivors are no longer alive. Many sexual abuse survivors develop terrible addictions as they attempt to self-medicate and forget about the trauma. Child abuse is linked with psychological problems throughout life, including violent behavior. It is likely that some of these victims passed away after relatively short lives filled with addiction, crime, and psychological turmoil.
Berkeley Unified School District Pays $13.5 Million to Nine Abuse Victims
At around the same time, the Berkeley Unified School District agreed to pay nine women $13.5 million for the abuse they had experienced at the hands of a single high school teacher. This science teacher was also a football coach, and he sexually abused female students as young as 14. The lead plaintiff said that the abuse started with inappropriate comments before becoming physical.
Although the teacher’s conduct was clearly abusive, the school district was also accused of facilitating his conduct through their own negligence. When the district became aware of the abuse, they asked the teacher to resign. However, they also signed an agreement with the teacher and pledged never to reveal his sexual abuse to his future prospective employers. This could have allowed the teacher to continue abusing children without anyone knowing about his past.
It was only when the plaintiffs sued the school that the Commission on Teacher Credentialing finally revoked his teaching license in 2022. The first incidents of abuse occurred as early as 1998. The district also told at least one student that if she reported the abuse while she was still a student, she would need to confront the teacher directly. She did not feel comfortable about this as a child, and so she waited until after her graduation to officially file a Title IX complaint. When she tried to confirm that they had received the complaint, the district claimed they had no record of the document.
Physical Therapist Accused of Sexual Abuse
In late October, a physical therapist in California was accused of sexually abusing his female patients. One of these patients claims that the therapist lulled her into a false sense of security during an initial session before sexually assaulting her in a private room. A second patient named in the story tells a very similar story.
During one session, the therapist told a woman that her massage would be more effective if she took off her clothes. When she complied, the therapist proceeded to sexually abuse her while she lay face down on a massage table. An attorney connected with this lawsuit stated that there are at least 10 victims.
Contact Mary Alexander & Associates
These reports may be distressing, but they also offer some degree of hope. In two of these cases, organizations have agreed to hand over millions of dollars to the people affected by abuse on their watch. While no amount of money can wipe away memories of past abuse, it may provide some degree of closure and justice. Perhaps more importantly, it gives survivors the opportunity to hold negligent parties accountable, and this may help prevent future acts of abuse across California. To learn about the potential next steps, contact Mary Alexander & Associates today.