Articles
Learn more about sexual abuse claims, including frequently asked questions and other information regarding cases.
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Criminal vs. Civil Sexual Abuse Cases
Although both criminal and civil cases can be an avenue for survivors who wish to seek justice, they have many differences as it related to litigation and outcomes. The main difference Criminal cases focus on punishment and public safety, while civil…
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Maryland Age of Consent
In Maryland, the age of consent is 16 years old, meaning that individuals who are younger than 16 years of age cannot legally engage in sexual activity. Those who are found in violation may face statutory rape charges and may also be held liable…
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Missouri Age of Consent
In Missouri, the age of consent is 17 years old, meaning individuals must be 17 yeas of age or older to legally consent to sexual activity. However, there are some exceptions to this, which are as follows: Close-in-Age (“Romeo and Juliet”) Considerations…
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Missouri Priests Accused of Abuse
In Missouri, more than 180 priests have been publicly accused of sexual abuse across the state. The highest concentration of priests accused of abuse are associated with The Archdiocese of St. Louis, although there are a considerable number of clergy members…
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Missouri Statute of Limitations for Sexual Abuse
In Missouri, adult survivors of sexual abuse have 5 years to file a sexual abuse claim (§ 516.120). For survivors of childhood sexual abuse, Missouri law (§ 537.046) allows claims to be filed until age 31 (10 years after turning 21) or within…
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Florida Age of Consent
In Florida, the age of consent is 18 (Fla. Stat. § 794.05), and those who are under age are considered minors and cannot legally consent to sexual activity. However, Florida’s Romeo & Juliet law recognizes that individuals who are 16 or 17…
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Florida Statute of Limitations For Sexual Abuse & Assault
In Florida, survivors of childhood sexual abuse generally have 2 years to file a civil lawsuit from the date their parent or guardian knew or should have known about the abuse, or from when the survivor turns 18. However, for survivors…
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List of Florida Priests Accused of Abuse (100+ Named Priests)
In Florida, there are over 100 priests accused of sexual abuse, including priests from the dioceses of Miami, Orlando, and St. Petersburg, and Palm Beach. Survivors who have experienced clergy sexual abuse, assault, or misconduct in the state of Florida are…
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List of Maryland Priests Accused of Abuse (100+)
In the state of Maryland, there are 100 total priests accused of sexual abuse, assault, and misconduct (all of which are from The Archdiocese of Baltimore). Priests with notable cases against them include William “Father Bill” Mannion Jr., Jorge Antonio Velez-Lopez,…
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Statute of Limitations For Sexual Abuse & Assault in Maryland
In Maryland, there is no statute of limitations for filing a civil lawsuit for childhood sexual abuse, thanks to the Child Victims Act of 2023 (effective October 1, 2023), which allows survivors to bring claims at any time. However, for abuse…
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Vermont Age of Consent
In Vermont, the age of consent to engage in sexual activity is 16, meaning it is illegal to engage in sexual acts with individuals who are under the age of 16. However, there are some exceptions for consensual acts between individuals…
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List of Vermont Priests Accused of Abuse
In the state of Vermont, there are 43 total priests accused of sexual abuse (all from The Archdiocese of Burlington). Survivors of church-related sexual abuse and assault in Vermont are filing civil lawsuits against abusive priests and the religious institutions that…
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Vermont Statute of Limitations for Sexual Abuse & Assault
In Vermont, there is no statute of limitations for criminal prosecutions of sexual assault, including aggravated sexual assault of children or adults, and such charges can be brought at any time. For civil cases of childhood sexual abuse, Vermont has also…
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Washington Age of Consent
In Washington, the age of consent is 16 years old meaning only individuals who are 16 or older can legally consent to sexual acts. When sexual conduct involves someone under this age, it may form the basis for a criminal and civil legal…
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Washington Statute of Limitations For Sexual Abuse
In Washington, there is no deadline to file a civil lawsuit or pursue criminal charges for childhood sexual abuse that occurred on or after June 6, 2024. Most serious sexual crimes against minors can also be prosecuted at any time. For…
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Washington Priests Accused of Sexual Abuse
There are over 60 priests accused of sexual abuse in Washington from The Archdiocese of Seattle. If you or a loved one has been sexually abused by a priest other member of the church in the state of Washington, you may…
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Illinois Age of Consent
Under Illinois law, individuals must be at least 17 years of age in order to consent to sexual acts. Furthermore, it is illegal for a person who is 18 or older to engage in sexual acts with an individual if they…
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Illinois Sexual Abuse Statute of Limitations
Under 735 ILCS 5/13-202.2, survivors of childhood sexual abuse generally have 20 years from the date they turn 18 to file a claim. For adult survivors, claims generally must be filed within 2-years from the date that the abuse occurred (or…
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List of Illinois Priests Accused of Sexual Abuse
In the state of Illinois, there are nearly 300 named priests accused of sexual abuse with Chicago accounting for the most (over 150). Additionally, there are a significant number of accused priests in the cities of Belleville, Rockford, Joliet, Peoria, and…
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California Age of Consent
In California, the age of consent is 18 years old, meaning anyone who is under the age of 18 is considered a minor and cannot legally consent to sexual activity. Offenders who engage is sexual acts of minors may be be criminally…