Archdiocese in LA to pay $880M settlement

Archdiocese of Los Angeles to pay $880M in child sex abuse settlement

What you probably already know: More than 1,350 people who were sexually abused as children by Catholic clergy members in Los Angeles will get some restitution. The Archdiocese of Los Angeles announced a settlement this week of $880 million, bringing the total amount paid out for sex abuse lawsuits by the archdiocese to $1.5 billion. The lawsuits over the years have forced the Catholic organization to sell off real estate and liquidate investments to pay out the settlements.

Why? Some of the claims against the clergy go back decades, and it can be difficult to prosecute these crimes because the individuals involved may no longer be alive. The state of California passed a law in 2019 that opened a three-year window for people to file claims if they were past the statute of limitations, which is why we’re seeing such large settlements. Other archdioceses around the state have filed for bankruptcy as a result of the lawsuits, including the Archdiocese of San Francisco, Oakland and San Diego. Some have accused them of using bankruptcy to avoid paying out these settlements.

What it means: This is the latest in a series of cases across the globe where people abused by Catholic clergy seek restitution and justice. An independent inquiry in France found 216,000 victims of child sexual abuse by clergy between 1950 and 2020, and a German study found 1,670 clergymen had committed sexual attacks against thousands of children, mostly boys under 13. In 2002, the Boston Globe published a series of stories on the Boston diocese’s efforts to cover for priests who were abusing children by moving them around to different parishes, a story that became the Oscar-winning film Spotlight.

What happens now? The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has a special division now specifically to handle allegations of sexual abuse and a victim assistance program available for anyone who was a victim of abuse, no matter how long ago it may have happened. While the Catholic church has a well-documented history of violence against children, other faith-based organizations have similar issues, including the Mormon Church. Research has shown that the common factor is a trusted relationship built over time where the clergy member has power and authority over the adults who would otherwise protect the children.