From the editorial in today’s Honolulu Star-Advertiser: Children who are raped, sodomized and otherwise sexually abused must cope with the emotional and physical pain of these heinous acts for the rest of their lives. Just as there is no statute of limitations on the trauma they suffer, there should be no statute of limitations on…Continue reading Star Advertiser: Toughen laws against child-sex predators
From today’s Hawaii Star-Advertiser: Bills seek more time to file suit Expanding the current two-year window, which expires next month, is unfair to the accused entities, critics argue By Derrick DePledge POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Mar 23, 2014 “Did you know these men?” The question appeared in an ad in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser last Sunday…Continue reading Hawaii: Bills may give more victims chance for justice
Attorney Jeff Anderson and I discuss Hawaii’s civil window for victims and its upcoming April 24 deadline. Hawaii News Now – KGMB and KHNL
TODAY IN HONOLULU: Sex abuse lawsuits call for release of accused offenders Six more victims come forward under new law “Window for Victims” closes April 24 WHAT: At a news conference on Wednesday in Honolulu, sexual abuse survivors and their attorneys Mark Gallagher and Jeff Anderson will: · Discuss the novel use of nuisance…Continue reading Honolulu Diocese creates “Public Nuisance”, Victims say
Tune in to Hawaii’s KGMB (CBS) Tuesday at 7:20am (Hawaii Standard Time). I’ll be live on Hawaii News Now Sunrise, talking about Hawaii’s civil window for victims of abuse and abuse prevention. You can watch the livestream here. (FYI – Hawaii does not have Daylight Savings Time)
I knew I wasn’t crazy to propose a book on child safety. I am very proud of how the completed proposal for THE WELL-ARMORED CHILD: HOW TO PROTECT YOUR SON OR DAUGHTER FROM ABUSE AND EXPLOITATION has turned out. I received help from some extraordinary folks, who pushed me to go further and create a…Continue reading THE WELL-ARMORED CHILD Book Proposal is already gaining interest …
This just arrived in my inbox Media Advisory February 18, 2014 Sexual Abuse Survivors Settle with Los Angeles Archdiocese Archdiocese used therapy scam to defraud victims of civil rights Cardinal, Bishop thwarted police, helped criminal priest escape US What: At a news conference Wednesday sexual abuse survivors and their attorneys, Anthony DeMarco and…Continue reading Victims Settle With LA Archdiocese for $13 Million
Speakers will include John L. Allen, Jr., Associate Editor for Catholic news at The Boston Globe and founder of the Vatican beat for National Catholic Reporter, and Fr. Thomas Reese, NCR’s Senior Analyst and author of The Vatican: The Politics and Organization of the Catholic Church. I did an MSNBC interview with Reese last month and he…Continue reading VOTF National Assembly – April 5, 2014
According to the Riverside Press Enterprise, two victims of convicted priest Alejandro “Alex” Castillo settled their sex abuse and cover-up lawsuits against the Diocese of San Bernardino for $3.8 million. In a statement, the diocese called Castillo’s acts “sinful and unlawful.” They also added this: The diocese acknowledges and deeply regrets the sinful and unlawful…Continue reading Castillo victims settle with Diocese of San Bernardino
There have been a number of things about the recent UN committee report on (and the global response to) the Vatican’s role in clergy sex abuse that have given me pause. The first issue has been the one to which Vatican and global Catholic officials have clung : The report’s inclusion of language about the church’s…Continue reading The Battle of the Scandals, pt 1: The Nation-State
Former Hilo farmer Jay Ram, who is accused of sexual abuse by five of his sons, has been found living outside of Tampa, where he was finally served with the civil lawsuits. From the Hawaii News-Tribune: One of Ram’s neighbors in Odessa, who spoke to the Tribune-Herald on the condition of anonymity, said Ram…Continue reading Jay Ram found in Florida
The Diocese of Stockton announced today that they are going to seek bankruptcy protection in federal court on Wednesday. They had announced their “intentions” to file last year. The first goal of the filing, according to Bishop Stephen Blaire in the Lodi News is to “provid[e] a process to compensate victims of sexual abuse, particularly those…Continue reading Stockton makes its grand entrance to the Bankruptcy Ball
*Like part one, part two is not available online* Scroll down to the italicized section (emphasis is mine). It seems that all of the “Unknown real estate values” that Bishop Wall wrung his hands over were actually known and itemized in a 2012 audit. Judges have a tendency to come down hard on that kind of…Continue reading Diocese questioned about finances – Published in the Gallup Independent, Gallup, NM, Dec. 28, 2013
Jerry Brown could have been a hero. He could have helped expose a cache of child pornography in the basement of the local archdiocese. He could have forced bishops to release the names of adults credibly accused of abuse in the past ten years, but whose identities were kept secret from parishioners, communities, and the…Continue reading Jerry Brown COULD have made a difference
In July, I blogged about how institutions should not be in the child sex abuse investigation business. Little did I know that the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis would prove me right so quickly. Here’s a recap from what we learned yesterday from Minnesota Public Radio (emphasis mine): Archbishop John Nienstedt was in the middle…Continue reading St. Paul/Minn Archbishop loves to talk about child porn, hates to report it
My inbox fills up this time every year with emails from panicked parents who write and ask me if their school is a safe place for their kids. Sometimes, I can give parents a history of accused or arrested predators who have worked or volunteered at a particular campus, but that usually doesn’t tell the…Continue reading QUIZ: How safe is your child’s school?
Hawaii’s state deputy attorney general determined that a $1.5 million grant intended for Damien Memorial School is unconstitutional. According to the Honolulu Civil Beat: Deputy Attorney General Randall Nishiyama’s memo, dated Sept. 3, 2013, notifies Mercado Kim that the grant for Kalihi’s Damien Memorial School violates a provision in Hawaii’s constitution prohibiting the state from contributing public money to…Continue reading Damien grant unconstitutional, says Hawaii AG
SB 131 – the Child Victims’ Act – has become the “little bill that could.” Despite great odds and millions of dollars spent on lobbying to kill the bill (by Roman Catholic and USA Swimming officials), SB 131 passed the senate floor vote 21-8 and is heading to Governor Jerry Brown’s desk. There is talk…Continue reading SB 131 Passes Senate Floor – Now On To The Governor
The Diocese of Gallup, which owns parishes and employs priests in both New Mexico and Arizona, has said that it will declare bankruptcy to avoid embarrassing civil child sex abuse and cover-up trials. Published in The Gallup Independent, Gallup, NM, Sept. 3, 2013 (the paper does not publish stories online): Diocese of Gallup to file bankruptcy…Continue reading Diocese of Gallup to declare bankruptcy
What do you do when your umbrella organization files for bankruptcy (to avoid costly sex abuse civil trials); ten of your former teachers are exposed as perpetrators; and at least 15 former students come forward to say they were sexually abused by your teachers and brothers? Swindle the state of Hawaii out of $1.5 million,…Continue reading Damien Memorial Fudges Grant Application, Swindles $1.5 Million from State