MINNESOTA
Star Tribune
By Jean Hopfensperger Star Tribune MAY 23, 2016
More than 850 child sex abuse claims, including about 500 against Minnesota Catholic clergy, have been made in the past three years under a landmark Minnesota law sunsetting this week that allowed victims of older abuse cases to have their day in court.
The Minnesota Child Victims Act, which rocked the Catholic Church to its core, set a May 25, 2016 deadline for filing older claims. Victims’ lawyers are rushing to the finish line, expecting a last-minute surge in claims.
And the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis is on alert, as its victim compensation plan heads to bankruptcy court soon after the count is in.
In the three years since the law’s passage, the local church has witnessed an archbishop’s resignation, two bankruptcies and the public naming of more than 100 priests credibly accused of child sex abuse.
But its most profound impact was felt by the abuse victims themselves.
“It’s been a sea change,” said Bob Schwiderski, a decades-long victims’ advocate who was sexually abused by a priest as a boy. “We’re no longer considered ignorant money-grabbers … I’ve gone from being spit on to being applauded.”
Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.