Victims of Abuse in Church

If you are a victim of sexual abuse by priests, or other leaders in the church, your life has probably been affected in many ways. Almost everything about you may have suffered. Your relationships, your education, your career and even your spirituality and relationship with God may have all been seriously damaged if you were taken advantage of by a spiritual leader.

Though abuse in the Catholic Church is often in the media, sex abuse happens in nearly every religion or denomination—whether Anglican, United, Baptist, or Pentecostal. Church leaders are figures of trust and authority, and when that trust is destroyed, victims feel helpless. Survivors of sex abuse by clergy or priests often live their whole lives not understanding where the pain comes from; why they haven't accomplished much with their lives; why they keep turning to drugs or alcohol. Many people come to a realization, often well into adulthood, that the pain they've had their whole lives is rooted in sexual abuse by Catholic church leaders or clergy of another religion.

Sometimes, exploring the possibility of taking action against the abuser(s) is an important part of the healing process. Whether or not you ultimately decide to sue the perpetrator(s) is your choice. We help give you the information you need to make the choice that's right for you.

If you were sexually abused by a priest or clergy-member, you may have a claim against the person who assaulted you, or against other people who can be found responsible. Our sexual assault lawyers in Toronto can help you. Contact us today.

Latest News:

January 26, 2012
TheSpec.com

GUELPH: Former Hamilton Catholic priest James Boudreau has pleaded guilty to sexual assault.

Boudreau, a 68-year-old retired catholic priest pleaded guilty in Guelph’s provincial court to two sexual assaults. He will be sentenced on April 13. Court was told Boudreau, took advantage of a young man’s friendship and another’s interest in the clergy when he sexually assaulted the two in the 1980s. Boudreau served as pastor at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, on Victoria Road North, from 1978 to 1985. He went on to work at six other Ontario churches, including Kitchener’s St. John’s Catholic Church. Read More

If you have a complaint against Linus Bastien, contact us. We can help.

January 12, 2012
The Province

Linus Bastien – Priest faces 18 additional sex charges

Police have laid 18 new charges against a former Ontario Roman Catholic priest who was charged with indecent assault last autumn. Rev. Linus Bastien, who served as a priest in Essex County, was arrested on Jan. 11 and charged with indecent assault, gross indecency, sexual assault and sexual interference following complaints from seven victims. Read More

If you have a complaint against Linus Bastien, contact us. We can help.

October 14, 2011

Linus Bastien – Priest charged in sex assault

A Catholic priest has been charged in an historical sexual assault involving two altar servers. Ontario Provincial Police said the charges date back to 1978 when the priest was assigned to St. Mary's parish in Maidstone. Read More

If you have a complaint against Linus Bastien, contact us. We can help.

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Kenneth O’Keefe – Ottawa priest arrested for indecent assault

A former Ottawa priest, Kenneth O’Keefe, has been charged with one count of indecent sexual assault. Father O’Keefe was arrested today in Toronto. He is the second priest who taught at St. Pius X High School to be criminally charged in recent weeks. The charges relate to an incident that allegedly took place in Ottawa in 1972 between the Catholic priest and a teenage boy.

If you have a complaint against Kenneth O’Keefe, contact us. We can help.

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Roger Bazin – Former Canadian Forces head chaplain charged with sexual assault

Former Canadian Forces head chaplain, Roger Bazin has been charged with buggery, sexual assault and gross indecency. The charges relate to an alleged 1972 sexual attack against a young man. The Roman Catholic chaplain was a young man in the early stages of his career at CFB Borden when the incident is alleged to have occurred at the base. Bazin also served as a representative of the Diocese of Thunder Bay after he left the Forces in 1995.

If you have a complaint against Roger Bazin or have survived sexual assault by a clergy member, contact us. We can help.

Friday, May 21, 2010

Rev. William Hodgson Marshall – Windsor priest charged with child sexual abuse

Rev. William Hodgson Marshall, a Basilian priest and former Windsor, Ontario, high school principal, has been charged with child sexual abuse in an allegation that dates back to the 1980s.

“Father Hod” appeared in court Wednesday to face a charge of sexual abuse for incidents that occurred while he was working at a Windsor school from 1981 to 1985. While working in northern Ontario, Reverend Marshall became known as the “basketball priest” for his dedicated attendance at games.

In 1993 he retired from the school system and moved to St. Lucia to carry out missionary work. The priest spearheaded projects that brought students from Windsor to the Caribbean island to build homes and help with the construction of schools and daycares.

If you have a complaint against Father William Marshall, please contact us. We can help.

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Roger Bazin – Former Canadian Forces head chaplain charged with sexual assault

Former Canadian Forces head chaplain, Roger Bazin has been charged with buggery, sexual assault and gross indecency. The charges relate to an alleged 1972 sexual attack against a young man. The Roman Catholic chaplain was a young man in the early stages of his career at CFB Borden when the incident is alleged to have occurred at the base. Bazin also served as a representative of the Diocese of Thunder Bay after he left the Forces in 1995.

If you have a complaint against Roger Bazin or have survived sexual assault by a clergy member, contact us. We can help.

Saturday, May 8, 2010

Donald Grecco – Priest Pleads Guilty to Sex Abuse

St Catharines area priest, Donald Grecco, has pleaded guilty to sexually molesting three former altar boys between 1978 and 1986 while a parish priest in Cayuga and, later, in Welland. He is to be sentenced on June 3. The charges, first laid in the fall of 2008, came shortly after Bishop James Wingle was installed as head of the Roman Catholic Diocese of St. Catharines. Wingle resigned two weeks after Grecco pleaded guilty.

If you have charges against Father Donald Grecco, please contact us. We can help.

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Girls and Clergy Sex Abuse

The Toronto Star predicted today that the next wave of sex abuse scandal in the Catholic Church will emerge from sexually abused girls who are finally taking a stand.

Following the 2006 conviction of predator priest, Father Charles Sylvestre, a groundswell of female victims has stepped forward in Ontario. Sylvestre was known as Father Charlie in his Pain Court, Ontario parish. Over four decades the Priest sexually assaulted at least 47 girls, despite abuse complaints from victims to police, school and church officials during that time.

Researchers say disclosure of abuse is typically delayed for about 30 years, which means women assaulted by Father Charles Sylvestre as children are just starting to come to terms with what happened.

If you are a victim of sexual abuse in Church, or abuse by a priest, contact us. We can help.

Monday, April 19, 2010

Archbishop of Toronto, Archbishop Thomas Collins, issued a video statement today, reflecting on how the Church can respond to sex abuse in Catholic churches. He explained that current misconduct protocol will be reviewed again and on July 31, 2010 they will make new recommendations regarding treatment of sexual abuse. Priests and others engaged in pastoral service in the archdiocese will meet in fall 2010, to discuss “how we can best respond to sexual abuse, both in the church and society,” he announced.

Ontario police have reopened a case against Fr Godwin Scerri, pertaining to a 1993 sex abuse scandal. The Catholic priest faces sexual assault and gross indecency charges pertaining to child sexual abuse in Windsor, Ontario, between 1983 and 1987. New allegations have recently come to light against Fr Scerri.

Canadian police hope to extradite Fr Scerri from Malta, where he and two other members of Catholic clergy face abuse charges. The seven-year court case involves the alleged sexual abuse of 10 former orphans under the care of the Catholic Church.

If you have been a victim of sexual abuse by a church leader or have information regarding these cases, please contact us. We can help.

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