One year ago, in February, the Vatican had an unprecedented 4 day summit where the Pope announced the Catholic church would “spare no effort” to bring to justice the priests and the bishops who abused children and then covered up their crimes. Yet now, a year later; very little, if anything has been done. Now, a year later, the pope still has not implemented any changes to canon law.
The 190 Bishops and Cardinals who attended the summit sat through the traumatic testimony of those who had been molested and raped by priests.
A few months after the summit the Vatican put procedures in place for every diocese to report allegations of abuse and be accountable for the actions of cardinals and bishops. Pope Francis also announced in December that there would no longer be “pontifical secrecy” in sexual abuse cases.
Some Catholic countries did take steps to implement changes, but in other countries there has been no impact at all.
On a positive note, the impact of the summit did help 4500 victims of clerical sexual abuse come forward this past year in France and in Spain, due to media investigations, public cases spiked by 50%.
If you or someone you know is a survivor of sexual abuse, Herman Law may be able to help you achieve justice. Jeff Herman is a trailblazer in the representation of victims of sexual abuse, devoting 100% of his practice to the cause. Renowned for his aggressive and tireless advocacy on behalf of his clients, and his determination to help his clients heal through the litigation process, Jeff understands the unique issues involved in the representation of survivors of rape and sexual abuse.
Jeff Herman and his team only handle sexual abuse cases and have represented over 2,000 victims since 1997. The firm offers free consultations and works on a contingency basis. Now is the time to reach out, seek justice and begin to heal.
Please contact us today to discuss your options.
