Judge OKs $230M New Orleans abuse settlement
A judge approved a $230 million settlement resolving more than 500 sexual-abuse claims against the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans, part of the archdiocese’s 2020 bankruptcy filing to consolidate claims. The agreement provides compensation for hundreds of survivors and includes new policies intended to prevent future abuse within the archdiocese.
📌 Key Facts
- A judge approved a $230 million settlement resolving clergy abuse claims against the Archdiocese of New Orleans.
- The settlement includes policies intended to prevent future abuse within the archdiocese.
- The Archdiocese of New Orleans filed for bankruptcy in 2020 to address more than 500 abuse claims in a single legal process.
- The 2020 bankruptcy allowed consolidation of 500+ claims into one process to negotiate and obtain the settlement.
- ABC News reported the settlement as part of a list of the largest clergy abuse settlements reached by Catholic organizations in the U.S.
📊 Relevant Data
In the United States, approximately 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 20 boys experience child sexual abuse.
About Child Sexual Abuse — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
In credible allegations of sexual abuse by US Catholic clergy reported between 2004 and 2023, 80% of victims are male.
Report: 20 years of data shows clerical abuse allegations down in US — OSV News
The predominance of male victims among sexually abusive clergy is linked to greater opportunities for unsupervised contact with boys in church roles such as altar servers, as well as sworn celibacy and limited exposure to women during seminary training.
Sexually Abusive Clergy A Unique Subgroup of Sexual Offenders — Palo Alto University
📰 Sources (2)
- Settlement terms include policies intended to prevent future abuse within the archdiocese.
- Context noted that the archdiocese filed for bankruptcy in 2020 to address 500+ claims in a single process.