Sexual Abuse

Enduring sexual abuse as a child can leave scars that other people do not see. One common psychological effect of abuse is post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. The National Institute of Mental Health reports that about 3.6% of Americans will experience it every...

New York’s Child Victims Act received an extension through next year as Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Aug. 3 signed legislation that extends the statute of limitations in decades-old sexual abuse cases. It allows victims to get their days in court, confront their predators,...

An increasing number of lawsuits continue to surface as a result of New York’s Child Victim Rights, which extended the statute of limitations in sexual abuse cases, allowing victims of decades-old cases to confront this issue and their abusers while seeking monetary...

In the latest high-profile case that spotlights New York’s Child Victims Act that allows decades-old sexual assault cases to get their day in court, a former figure skater has filed a civil lawsuit against a highly regarded coach for misconduct in the 1970s. In...

A Staten Island church is among the more recent worshipping organizations tainted by alleged sexual assault charges committed by one of its pastors more than 40 years ago. A lawsuit filed in mid-July against the Reformed Church of Huguenot Park claims that the church...

As part of the Boy Scouts of America’s bankruptcy proceedings, a November 16th deadline has been set for survivors to file claims of sexual abuse. The court has approved a “proof of claim” form. Any survivors who intend to make a claim must complete this form and file...

The ongoing pandemic has caused upheaval in all areas of society, including the legal system. There were concerns that time would run out yet again for survivors of child sexual abuse. Many people have called for an extension of lawsuits allowed under the Child...

The troubles continue for the Boy Scouts of America and will not stop until all matters related to its decades-long sexual abuse of thousands of boys concludes. But when will that happen? Not any time soon, especially with recent lawsuits in upstate New York. Filed on...

Survivors of sexual abuse received another legal endorsement when a New York state supreme court justice ruled in mid-May that the state’s Child Victims Act was constitutional. Justice Steven M. Jaeger upheld the law, which went into effect in early 2019 and...

Sexual abuse in childhood is far more common than most people realize. Since the New York Child Victims Act went into effect last August, more than 1,300 victims have come forward, filing lawsuits under the Act’s one-year window of time for pursuing justice. And that...

The long-term impacts of child sex abuse are well-documented. A survivor often deals with the repercussions the rest of their life, working to overcome mental and physical health conditions on their road to recovery. Less talked about are the financial ramifications...

Being a victim of childhood sexual abuse negatively affects individuals as they progress into their adult lives. The consequences that follow them intervene with both their personal and professional lives. While many men and women might not have felt comfortable...

Wednesday, August 14, 2019, was a landmark date in the civil justice system of New York State. It marked the first day of a one-year lookback period under the Child Victims Act, passed last February. The Act gives adult victims of childhood abuse a limited window of...

The clock is ticking. A landmark date will soon be upon us. Starting in mid-August, adult victims of childhood sex abuse can begin filing claims against their abusers and the organizations that harbored them. The one-year window is a result of the Child Victims Act, a...

As the Catholic Church in New York gears up to address hundreds - potentially thousands - of sex abuse claims, one question looms large: Where will the payouts come from? The Church is anticipating a wave of sex abuse claims when the one-year window opens under the...