After years of advocacy, in late June, the San Francisco Archdiocese agreed to a $395 million deal to compensate 530 survivors of childhood sexual abuse within the Catholic church – cases spanning seven decades. WBS&J partner Erika J. Scott represents clients who will receive compensation under the global settlement.
California law AB218, which went into effect in 2020, offered new hope to victims by extending the civil statute of limitations for childhood sexual assault cases and allowing for triple damages where there was institutional cover–up.
As part of the settlement, the Archdiocese must follow The 14-Point Plan for Systemic Change, Protecting Children, & Empowering Survivors – a groundbreaking framework to increase oversight and accountability, enforce transparency, shield victims and whistleblowers, ensure robust screening of church personnel, and codify rules about adult-child interactions. The Archbishop must also write individual letters of apology to each survivor.
Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone acknowledged the harm that was done and called the agreement “a path toward fair compensation for survivors who have borne the weight of this abuse for a lifetime.” Victims have said that while nothing can undo what they’ve suffered, these are significant steps toward justice.
WBS&J is committed to fighting for justice for survivors of sexual assault – in this landmark case and countless others – and advocating for robust protections against future abuses.
Learn more about this unprecedented settlement: Los Angeles Times, ABC7 San Francisco, New York Times
