ANDREOZZI + FOOTE
CLERGY SEXUAL ABUSE
Reviewed by:
Benjamin D. Andreozzi, Esq.
- Last Updated: August 8, 2025
On This Page
- National Leaders in Clergy Sexual Abuse Cases
- Your Legal Options as a Survivor of Clergy Abuse
- What Evidence Can Support a Clergy Sexual Abuse Case?
- Examples of Clergy Abuse
- Why Clergy Sexual Abuse Was So Widespread and So Often Hidden
- How the Church’s Cover-Ups Put More Survivors at Risk
- How Survivors and the Truth Finally Broke Through
- Why Choose Andreozzi + Foote
- Schedule Your Free, Confidential Case Review
Clergy sexual abuse involves sexual misconduct by religious leaders, often priests, bishops, or deacons, against minors or vulnerable individuals. For many survivors, the trauma of these experiences is compounded by the betrayal of trust from an institution meant to provide spiritual guidance. Coming forward about sexual abuse by clergy is never easy and takes immense strength.
At Andreozzi + Foote, we understand how difficult this decision can be. As a nationally recognized law firm focused exclusively on sexual abuse cases, we help survivors seek justice no matter how long ago the abuse occurred. Our trauma-informed clergy sexual abuse attorneys offer confidential, compassionate guidance backed by decades of experience and a proven record of results.
National Leaders in Clergy Sexual Abuse Cases
At Andreozzi + Foote, we’ve played a central role in uncovering institutional abuse across dioceses and archdioceses throughout the country. Our firm has represented survivors in high-profile clergy sexual abuse cases spanning New York, New Jersey, Colorado, Arizona, and beyond, many states where public cover-ups and compensation programs have exposed the depth of the crisis.
Whether through civil litigation or church-run settlement funds, our clergy sexual abuse attorneys help survivors understand every option available to them. We guide clients through each step, tailoring our approach to meet every survivor’s unique needs, ensuring every case is confidential and survivor-oriented.
$3.25M
For 7 children sexually abused by a church youth volunteer
Your Legal Options as a Survivor of Clergy Abuse
Coming forward about clergy sexual abuse is a deeply personal decision, but it can also open the door to justice, healing, and accountability. At Andreozzi + Foote, we help survivors explore their full range, including:
- Filing civil lawsuits against dioceses, religious institutions, or individual clergy members
- Seeking compensation through church-run settlement funds in states like New York, New Jersey, Colorado, and Arizona
- Taking advantage of expanded legal windows that allow older claims to move forward, even decades after the abuse occurred
What Compensation Can Cover
If you choose to pursue legal action, you may be eligible for compensation that includes:
- Therapy and counseling expenses
- Medication and medical treatment
- Emotional distress and trauma
- Lost wages or reduced earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
Taking legal action doesn’t have to be public or immediate. Many survivors choose to move forward confidentially. At Andreozzi + Foote, we respect your pace, privacy, and voice. All consultations are free and strictly confidential. You’re not alone, and you’re in control. We’re here to inform, empower, and support you, no matter what decision you make.
What Evidence Can Support a Clergy Sexual Abuse Case?
Your voice matters, and, in many cases, a survivor’s testimony is the most powerful and essential form of evidence in a clergy sexual abuse case. At Andreozzi + Foote, we know that coming forward takes courage, and we’re here to support you every step of the way.
Additional types of evidence that can help strengthen your claim include the following:
- Statements from friends, family members, or others who may have witnessed signs of abuse
- Medical or mental health records showing the emotional impact over time
- Expert psychological evaluations
- Written or digital communications, including letters, emails, or text messages
- Photographs, journal entries, or recorded communications
- In rare cases, DNA evidence
Evidence from other survivors abused by the same clergy member can also play a key role. Even if you’re unsure whether others have come forward, public resources like Bishop Accountability track clergy abuse and can help reveal patterns of misconduct and institutional cover-ups.
Examples of Clergy Abuse
Clergy sexual abuse can take many forms, both physical and non-physical. While it often involves direct sexual contact, it may also include non-contact abuse such as grooming, coercion, exposure, or manipulative behavior intended to confuse or control the victim.
Examples of clergy abuse include:
- Inappropriate touching or sexual contact
- Exposing oneself to a child or vulnerable person
- Forcing or pressuring someone to engage in sexual acts
- Using spiritual authority to gain trust and access
- Grooming behaviors such as giving gifts, isolating the victim, or building secret relationships
- Sexual conversations or communications
- Coercion, threats, or manipulation to ensure silence
Clergy often hold trusted roles as religious, moral, and community leaders, introducing a power balance that makes it difficult for victims, especially children, to understand what’s happening and speak out. Many survivors don’t recognize the abuse for what it was until years or decades later.
It’s never too late to pursue justice. At Andreozzi + Foote, we’ve helped countless survivors take action. We understand how complex these cases can be, and we’re here to support you, making your needs the focus of every decision.
Why Clergy Sexual Abuse Was So Widespread and So Often Hidden
Clergy sexual abuse wasn’t just isolated misconduct. It was a systematic failure enabled by power, secrecy, and misplaced trust. For decades, church leaders prioritized the institution over the vulnerable, allowing abusive clergy to quietly transfer between parishes instead of facing accountability.
Widespread investigations in New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey have revealed patterns of concealment and complicity. In Pennsylvania, a landmark grand jury report exposed over 300 abusive priests and more than 1,000 victims, but experts estimate up to 100,000 survivors may exist across the U.S.
Over 8,600 survivors have received more than $3.8 billion in restitution from the Catholic Church. Yet tens of thousands more have never come forward as they still struggle with trauma or fear they won’t be believed.
The lifelong impacts of clergy sexual abuse are profound. Survivors often deal with the following effects:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Relationship struggles
- Difficulty trusting others
- Long-term emotional distress
Healing is not just about compensation. It’s about validation, support, and holding institutions accountable so no one else has to endure the same harm.
How the Church’s Cover-Ups Put More Survivors at Risk
Instead of removing abusive clergy, church leaders often moved them to new parishes, dioceses, or countries without warning anyone. These quiet transfers exposed countless new victims to harm.
This pattern was part of a broader culture of denial, victim-blaming, and secrecy. Survivors who came forward were often silenced or disbelieved, while the institution prioritized its reputation over accountability.
How Survivors and the Truth Finally Broke Through
The movement toward justice began with the bravery of survivors, many of whom spoke out despite fear, stigma, and years of silence. Their voices, combined with relentless investigative journalism, exposed the scale of abuse and institutional cover-ups.
In 2002, the Boston Globe’s investigation brought national attention to systemic clergy abuse in the Catholic Church. That reporting helped ignite a wave of civil court victories, public reckoning, and legal reform.
Thanks to the courage of survivors, long-buried truths are still being uncovered today. Each voice has contributed to a growing cultural shift that demands accountability, transparency, and lasting change.
Why Choose Andreozzi + Foote
At Andreozzi + Foote, our team has earned national recognition for representing survivors of sexual abuse by clergy with a client-first approach that prioritizes your privacy and healing.
We’ve handled complex, high-profile cases involving the Catholic Church and other religious institutions nationwide. Whether you’re seeking justice through a civil lawsuit, a compensation fund, or a more private resolution, we’re prepared to fight for the outcome that best supports your recovery.
Our trauma-informed team has heard hundreds of survivor stories. We know how deeply personal and painful these experiences are, and we handle every case with the care, skill, and confidentiality it deserves.
Schedule Your Free, Confidential Case Review
If you’re considering moving forward, know that you don’t have to do it alone and don’t have to make any decisions immediately. At Andreozzi + Foote, we offer free, confidential consultations with no obligation to move forward.
Contact us today to speak with a clergy sexual abuse lawyer who will listen, support, and guide you with compassion and professionalism.
UNIVERSITY
At Andreozzi + Foote, we stand up for survivors of sexual abuse in schools and universitiesi, holding educational institutions responsible for failing to protect students and fighting for the justice they deserve.
We represent survivors of clergy sexual abuse, holding religious institutions accountable and seeking justice for those who endured harm by trusted leaders within the faith community.
Our firm is committed to helping survivors of human and sex trafficking by pursuing justice against traffickers and organizations, while providing compassionate support to help rebuild lives.
At Andreozzi + Foote, we fight for children harmed in daycare and child care settings, holding caregivers and organizations accountable for their failure to protect vulnerable young lives.
Children are among the most vulnerable individuals in society. Children left without the protection of their natural parents are even more vulnerable.
/SPORTS LEAGUES
We represent survivors of sexual abuse within youth organiations and sport leagues, demanding justice for victims harmed by trusted coaches, mentors, and officials.
Our Experienced attorneys advocate for survivors of sexual abuse at camps, ensuring that negligent organizations and staff are held accountable for violating the safety and trust of children.
At Andreozzi + Foote, we fight for victims of sexual abuse in healthcare settings, holding medical professionals and institutions accountable for exploiting their positions of trust and power
We support survivors of sexual abuse in residential care facilities, striving to hold care providers and institutions accountable for violating the safety and well-being of vulnerable individuals.
Our attorneys are dedicated to seeking justice for nursing home residents who have suffered sexual abuse, holding negligent facilities and staff accountable for mistreating elderly and ulnerable individuals.
CONTACT US TODAY
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Confidential Consultation
Empowering Survivors and Delivering Justice Nationwide
We understand the courage it takes to reach out for help, and we are here to listen. At Andreozzi + Foote, our trauma-informed attorneys are dedicated to providing compassionate, confidential support every step of the way. With extensive experience in advocating for survivors of sexual abuse, we are committed to creating a safe and supportive environment where your voice is heard and your rights are fiercely protected. Contact us today for a free, in-depth consultation and take the first step toward justice.