Categorizing Church Sexual Abuse—What You Should Know
Church should be a safe place for you and your family, but thousands of families are ravaged by clergy sexual abuse every single year. As a parent or caregiver, it is crucial that you understand how rampant sexual abuse is in these settings so you can take appropriate steps to protect your children. The team at DeWitt Algorri & Algorri, LLP, knows the devastation that’s left in the wake of sexual abuse, and we’re committed to helping families better understand it and fight against it.
The team at DeWitt Algorri & Algorri, LLP, led by attorneys Mark and Ernest Algorri, helps families seek justice. Our team of clergy sexual abuse attorneys in Southern California is focused on holding offenders accountable and giving victims the closure they need to move forward. Call us at 855-WINNING (946-6464) to set up a consultation now.
Classification by Religious Group
Sexual abuse in the church can be categorized in a variety of ways. One of the most common ways people try to categorize these cases is by denomination. While it can be helpful to look at different cases in this way, it can also create a false sense of security if your denomination isn’t among California’s most high-profile cases. It’s important to remember that clergy sexual abuse lawyers see cases across all denominations and that there’s no church where the risk of abuse is zero. While some cases may receive more attention than others, remembering that predators can infiltrate any institution ensures that parents take appropriate steps to safeguard their children.
Abuse Occurring at Church
A growing body of research differentiates between religious abuse cases by where it occurs. On-site offenders—those who sexually abuse victims at the church or at a church-sponsored event—typically only have one victim at the time of their arrest. Analysis of a large body of research shows that perpetrators in this category typically committed their offenses while working in their church-designated role. For example, this would include Sunday school teachers abusing a child while running their weekly class or youth ministers taking their youth group on a trip.
Perhaps the biggest distinguishing factor setting apart on-site offenders is their focus on opportunity. Rather than selecting a victim and then taking specific steps to groom that victim, these perpetrators simply took advantage of opportunities that arose during the course of their work at church. This highlights the importance of safeguarding measures that ensure that adults are never alone with children without another adult present. Clergy sexual abuse law firms can help uncover times when these safeguards are ignored and lead to abuse.
Off-Site Abuse
The flipside of on-site offenders is off-site offenders. These are similar to on-site perpetrators in some ways—they typically only have one victim when their abuse is discovered. The main difference is that these offenders only commit their abuse away from the church and church-sanctioned events. Over 60% of offenders utilized their own home, while just over 20% of offenses occurred at off-site locations like motels.
While on-site offenders take advantage of opportunities, off-site offenders create opportunities. This indicates more in-depth planning and selection of victims. These offenders may be more skilled at grooming their victims by making them feel special, creating strong bonds with their parents, and using gifts to win the favor of the victim and their parents.
Serial Offenders
Serial offenders are primarily categorized by their number of known victims. Serial offenders may have more than one victim simultaneously or only have one victim at a time. Either way, they are successful at grooming multiple victims and have often had substantial time to learn how to isolate victims. Those in this category also tend to participate in something called community grooming, which is recognized by advocacy groups that support victims. This type of grooming does not just target victims and their family members. Instead, the perpetrator takes intentional steps to position themselves as a trustworthy leader and member of the community. By shaping their reputation this way, they make it easier to gain access to victims—and they make it less likely that victims will be believed if they come forward. A clergy sexual abuse lawyer will find specific ways a perpetrator has embedded themselves within their community.
Contact Us Now—You’re Not in This Alone
If your child has been targeted by a predator, you may feel isolated, lonely, and devoid of support from the place you once trusted the most. We can help you seek justice in this horrific situation. Call DeWitt Algorri & Algorri, LLP at 855-WINNING (946-6464) or reach out online to set up a consultation with our clergy sexual abuse lawyers.
Mark Algorri has successfully represented individuals and their families in matters involving serious and catastrophic injuries, insurance claims denials, and wrongful deaths, achieving a success rate of 99 percent for our clients.
