Types of Sexual Abuse | Sokolove Law

Institutions & Abuse

For decades, powerful religious institutions have shielded predators instead of protecting victims. Rather than reporting abuse, leaders often covered it up by moving abusers to new locations, handling claims internally, and silencing survivors.

Religious institutions facing child sexual abuse lawsuits include:

Jehovah’s Witnesses
Southern Baptist Convention
The Catholic Church
The Church of Latter-day Saints
The Church of Scientology
Gateway Church

This is not a complete list. Many religious institutions have been accused of concealing or mismanaging thousands of sex abuse cases, often placing their reputations above the safety and well-being of children.

What Is a Clergy Abuse Lawsuit?

Clergy abuse is the sexual abuse of minors by religious officials, such as priests, elders, ministers, or other clergy members. This is an institution-wide problem involving sex crimes that impact survivors for their entire lives.

The child survivors who suffered sexual assault should have been protected by the institutions that claimed to have their best interests at heart — but for thousands, this was not the case. Now, families nationwide are filing clergy abuse lawsuits.

Religious institutions have been able to commit abuse for decades because predators have not been held accountable. Instead, abusive leaders were often protected by their supervisors and institutions.

This means that although churches and other religious organizations were typically the first to know about acts of abuse, they permitted it to continue with little or no consequences.

If you or someone you love experienced childhood sexual abuse by clergy members, we encourage you to take action. Reporting abuse and talking to a clergy abuse lawyer about your legal options may help give you some peace of mind — and prevent future abuse.

How the Church Handles Mormon Sexual Abuse

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has systematically mishandled reports of sexual abuse, often prioritizing legal protection for the organization over the safety of victims, according to an investigative report by the Associated Press.

When bishops learn of abuse, they’re instructed to call a confidential Mormon abuse hotline operated by the Church’s law firm, not law enforcement. The Church is also accused of using “clergy-penitent privilege” to keep abuse secret.

In one case, Arizona church member Paul Adams raped his daughters for years. The Church was made aware through the hotline, but never contacted police. Adams continued the abuse and posted videos of it until authorities discovered the crimes.

“They just let it keep happening. They just said, ‘Hey, let’s excommunicate her father.’ It didn’t stop. ‘Let’s have them do therapy.’ It didn’t stop. ‘Hey, let’s forgive and forget, and all this will go away.’ It didn’t go away.”
– MJ, Adams’ Daughter & Mormon Church Abuse Survivor

In July 2025, an Arizona appeals court ruled that a civil lawsuit against the LDS Church over this case can proceed, finding that Adams’ admissions may not have been protected by clergy-penitent privilege.

The judges cited a passage from the Church’s handbook, which states that bishops should disclose confidential information when “necessary to prevent life-threatening harm or serious injury.” This ruling challenges the Church’s long-standing defense for keeping abuse reports secret.

Power and Control Enabled Sex Abuse in the Mormon Church

Reports of sexual abuse within the Mormon Church describe a range of deeply traumatic experiences, often involving a pattern of grooming, manipulation, and ongoing harm.

Alleged perpetrators include bishops, home teachers, and other church-affiliated adults who used their power to gain access to children and teens. Survivors often report that the abuse escalated over time and was enabled by a culture of silence.

Improper behavior reported in Mormon sexual abuse cases includes:

Grooming and psychological manipulation
Oral, anal, and vaginal rape
Sexual touching or groping

These experiences often left survivors confused, afraid, and ashamed, especially in a religious environment where obedience and forgiveness were emphasized over justice and protection.

Where Does Mormon Church Sex Abuse Occur?

Sexual abuse within the Mormon Church has been reported across the country and isn’t limited to one location or area. Abuse often took place in environments that allowed abusers to be alone with children under the guise of religious instruction or spiritual care.

Sexual abuse in the Mormon Church has occurred in:

Church buildings
Private homes
Vehicles
Youth camps

Investigations have identified abuse in multiple states, including Arizona, California, Idaho, Utah, and West Virginia.

In a high-profile West Virginia case, TCOJCOLDS was accused of failing to warn about Michael Jensen, a member suspected of sexual abuse. Church leaders allegedly promoted his babysitting services and arranged for him to live with families who had young children.

Jensen was later sentenced to 35-75 years in prison, followed by 450 years of probation, and was required to register as a sex offender. Nine children and their families received a Mormon Church sex abuse settlement after coming forward.

Mormon Sexual Abuse in California

The Mormon Church is currently facing over 100 sexual abuse claims across the state of California. These cases involve grooming and abuse by church leaders, with incidents dating back to the 1960s.

Many adult survivors are just now coming forward due to recent changes in California’s statute of limitations, which allow individuals who experienced childhood sexual abuse to take legal action decades later.

An LDS Church sexual abuse settlement is currently in the works for California survivors and their families, though the final amount has not been disclosed.

Clergy Sex Abuse News

Over the past several decades, a growing number of survivors, advocates, and government agencies have exposed how religious institutions have mishandled and even actively concealed allegations of child sexual abuse.

These findings have led to criminal investigations and civil sexual abuse lawsuits. Find out about key developments that have brought the issue of clergy sexual abuse to light:

September 9, 2026: A $30 Million clergy abuse settlement will provide compensation to 145 survivors who reported sexual abuse connected to Minnesota’s Diocese of Winona-Rochester, with allegations stretching back more than 60 years.
August 26, 2026: A creditors committee representing clergy sexual abuse survivors sued the Diocese of Burlington in Vermont, alleging it moved $405 Million in parish real estate into trusts to shield the assets from survivors seeking compensation.
August 20, 2026: Attorneys representing children sexually abused by their father are asking the Arizona Supreme Court to reconsider its ruling that clergy-penitent privilege protected leaders of the Mormon Church from having to report the abuse to the authorities.
August 14, 2026: The Arizona Supreme Court ruled that clergy members in the state may not be required to report suspected child sexual abuse when they learn about it through confession or other confidential religious communications.
August 3, 2026: Five former altar boys from the Prospect Heights public housing development in Pawtucket have sued the Roman Catholic Bishop of Providence, alleging they endured years of abuse from a priest with a known history of sexual misconduct.
July 1, 2026: The Archdiocese of San Francisco agreed to pay $395 Million to resolve about 530 clergy sexual abuse lawsuits filed by survivors against the bankrupt organization.
June 25, 2026: An appeals court ruled that most of an investigative report into abuse allegations involving former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick can remain confidential under attorney-client privilege. The decision partially overturned an order that would have required Seton Hall University to disclose the report to abuse victims suing the Archdiocese of Newark.
June 5, 2026: Rhode Island senators voted unanimously to approve a bill that would give clergy sexual abuse survivors a 2-year revival window to file previously time-barred lawsuits against the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence and other institutions accused of enabling abuse.
May 20, 2026: The Roman Catholic Diocese of Ogdensburg agreed to pay $45 Million to settle approximately 125 sexual abuse claims brought by survivors and their families.
May 6, 2026: The Archdiocese of New York has proposed an $800 Million sexual abuse settlement to resolve about 1,300 claims. If approved, the Archdiocese would offer survivors a $250,000 quick-pay option and maintain a public list of accused clergy.
April 21, 2026: Going through Chapter 11 bankruptcy, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany, New York has agreed to a $148 Million settlement addressing sexual abuse allegations. The deal is subject to creditor approval and court confirmation as the case moves toward a potential resolution.
March 18, 2026: A list of priests accused of abuse in Rhode Island includes 61 Diocesan priests and deacons, 13 religious order members, and 1 extern priest. The 75 clergy members are accused of sexually assaulting over 300 children from 1950 to 2011 through their roles in the Diocese of Providence, according to an Office of the Attorney General report.
February 18, 2026: A New Jersey diocese agreed to a $180 Million sex abuse settlement to resolve allegations of clergy sexual abuse. The Diocese of Camden settlement follows a grand jury investigation that uncovered decades of child sexual abuse reports.
February 11, 2026: Clergy abuse lawyers in Arkansas filed 3 lawsuits against churches in Little Rock. One case alleges that Rodney Loy, a pastor at North Little Rock First Assembly of God Church, sexually abused a woman for years beginning in 1996 when she was 16. Due to Loy’s control over her, the woman didn’t discover the effects of the abuse until years later, according to the lawsuit.
January 15, 2026: Following a 6-year investigation, a report involving victims abused by clergy in Rhode Island concluded that the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence inadequately responded to allegations and sought to “hide scandal,” allowing dozens of priests to abuse hundreds of children. The findings could influence legislation expanding survivors’ rights to file sexual abuse lawsuits in the state.
December 30, 2025: Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel released a report detailing decades of alleged sexual abuse within the Diocese of Grand Rapids, identifying 51 priests accused since 1950.
December 16, 2025: Dozens of men have come forward accusing leaders involved with the Royal Rangers, a Christian youth program associated with the Assemblies of God, of sexual abuse. Lawsuits claim the church failed to protect children and ignored or covered up misconduct for years.
December 8, 2025: The Archdiocese of New York has announced a plan to set aside $300 Million in a settlement fund for survivors of clergy abuse. The Archdiocese is currently facing over 1,300 sexual abuse claims.
November 2025: A New Jersey judge ordered Seton Hall University to hand over documents from a previously hidden 2019 clergy abuse investigation, after finding the school violated a prior disclosure order. The records show that Monsignor Joseph Reilly, the current university president, failed to properly report abuse claims as a seminary leader but was later promoted.
October 10, 2025: A New Jersey jury awarded $5 Million to a man who was reportedly sexually abused by Rev. Richard Edward Lott while he was a student at Delbarton School in Morristown.
October 8, 2025: Robert Morris, a former pastor and founder of Gateway Church in Texas, pleaded guilty to sexually abusing a 12-year-old girl. Church elders reportedly knew about the abuse but failed to report it.
October 1, 2025: In a meeting with newly appointed bishops, Pope Leo stated that allegations of sexual abuse “cannot be put in a drawer” and must be confronted openly, addressing long-standing criticism that the Church has hidden misconduct in the past.
September 2025: After pushback from attorneys, the Archdiocese of New Orleans has agreed to increase their proposed settlement from $179.2 Million to $230 Million. Survivors must vote to approve or deny the settlement before the end of October.
August 2025: Thomas Pinkerton, a former youth pastor at Central Christian Church in Maryland, was arrested for allegedly sexually abusing multiple boys between 2006 and 2010. Authorities believe there may be additional survivors in other states, as Pinkerton later worked as a traveling evangelist.
July 2025: The Roman Catholic Diocese of Fresno, which is facing over 150 clergy abuse claims, announced their plan to file for bankruptcy and establish a settlement fund for survivors. In New York, a $246 Million settlement fund has been established for survivors of abuse involving the Diocese of Rochester.
June 2025: Louisiana has passed an anti-grooming law championed by clergy abuse survivor Tim Gioe, his wife, and her father, who is a state senator. The law aims to prevent future abuse by making it a crime for priests and other adults to groom minors, even if no physical abuse has occurred.
May 22, 2025: The Archdiocese of New Orleans agreed to create a $179.2 Million settlement fund, which will resolve over 600 claims of sexual abuse.
May 21, 2025: In Connecticut, a bankruptcy judge approved a $31 Million settlement fund for survivors of clergy sexual abuse linked to the Norwich Roman Catholic Diocese.
April 2025: The Diocese of Buffalo in New York has agreed to pay $150 Million to settle nearly 900 clergy sex abuse claims.
December 2024: The Diocese of Rockville Centre in Long Island received approval of a $320 Million clergy abuse settlement for 600 survivors.
April 2024: After reaching a $27.5 Million settlement for clergy abuse in 2018, the Diocese of Brooklyn, New York has agreed to major policy reforms to better prevent, investigate, and address abuse allegations.
July 2023: The Diocese of Syracuse has agreed to pay $100 Million to nearly 400 parishioners who were reportedly sexually abused by their priests.
December 2019: New Jersey extended the statute of limitations in civil actions for sexual abuse claims and created a two-year window to bring previously time-barred actions based on sexual abuse.
November 2019: Lawmakers in Pennsylvania pass legislation that extends the civil statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse lawsuits.
September 2019: A new program opens in California to compensate childhood sex abuse survivors; the program was opened by six Catholic dioceses.
August 2019: New York opens a one-year revival window for claims that were previously time-barred. This window extends the statute of limitations for filing clergy sex abuse lawsuits, giving survivors the ability to sue until they are 55.
June 2019: New Jersey opens a clergy sex abuse compensation program, which has received over 500 claims, as of January 2020.

These clergy abuse cases represent only a fraction of the abuse allegations tied to religious institutions nationwide. By bravely sharing their stories, survivors may continue to hold these organizations accountable for failing to protect them.

Ending Clergy Abuse

In August 2018, a Pennsylvania Grand Jury released a report detailing over 1,000 abuse allegations dating back 70 years. The grand jury report, which rocked the Catholic Church, involved over 300 Pennsylvania priests who were all credibly linked to cases of clergy sex abuse.

Shortly after the release of Pennsylvania’s report, other state attorneys general started following in their footsteps, setting up statewide investigations into religious institutions of their own.

Evidence continues to mount against religious institutions as investigations proceed and dioceses and organizations around the country release lists of credibly accused clergy.

Information from various institutions details:

Names of known sexual abusers
Locations at which they worked
When allegations of sexual abuse were made against them

While releasing the lists of abusers may seem like a step in the right direction, many survivors and advocacy groups believe this is nothing more than an empty gesture. In other words, an institution may want the public to believe it is being proactive against sexual abuse when in reality this does very little.

Advocates are also skeptical that religious institutions will fully comply with law enforcement investigations. High-profile religious leaders are being investigated, and some institutions have a long history of protecting these individuals in the face of legal trouble.

Clergy Abuse Statistics

The extent of the clergy abuse cover-up is shocking, with thousands of people across the United States reporting instances of abuse. Below, find statistics about victims of child sexual abuse, accused priests, and more.

According to a study by the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, 4,392 priests were accused of abuse throughout an approximate 50-year span (1950 to 2002).
Over 20 dioceses have filed for bankruptcy since 2004, attempting to quietly end existing lawsuits and prevent new ones from being filed.
According to a 2018 study by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, mental and physical health issues and lower lifetime earnings may cost clergy sex abuse victims over $280,000 throughout their lifetime.
According to an investigation conducted by the Associated Press, roughly 1,700 clergy members who were credibly accused of child sex abuse are now living with no supervision from law enforcement.

Though alarming, statistics about allegations of abuse and their resulting impacts on the nation have sparked efforts to stop abusers in their tracks.