People place their trust and confidence in the religious leaders and institutions who guide them. When a member of a religious order commits an act of sexual assault or abuse, it often seems even more heinous, because it destabilizes our moral foundations.
We also understand that the loss of spiritual guidance, along with the loss of innocence, can lead to lifelong pain and suffering. Our South Carolina sexual assault lawyers are here to help guide you through the process of filing a claim for damages against a member of the clergy, or against a lay member of its staff.
We want you to trust us, so we can help you plan for a better, brighter future. Sexual abuse in houses of worship involves parishioners of all ages, gender, and sexual preferences. It includes leaders of Catholic, Jewish, Protestant, Islamic, and other faiths.
The fundamental essence of the problem is that religious leaders abuse their position of authority and the trust that the people in the congregation place in them. In many cases, the abuse is not just one isolated incident. Many children and young adults are sexually assaulted or abused multiple times over a period of weeks, months, or years. Some of the more common forms of childhood sexual abuse by religious leaders include:.
The Catholic Church has received the most publicity and is subject to the most litigation for failing to protect children from sexual abuse. However, sexual abuse crosses religious faiths and organizations, including:.
