Clergy abuse survivor resources are becoming more important as more clergy abuse victims come of age and decide to seek the help that they need. Fortunately, the revelations that clergy abuse is more widespread than originally thought led to the creation of more resources specifically to help abuse survivors.
One of the ways that clergy abuse survivors are dealing with the impact on their lives is by taking legal action against their abusers. At Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, our focus is helping abuse victims with legal processes so that they can recover compensation.
That way, they have the funds needed to pay for resources like therapy. There are plenty of other resources available that are worth looking into if you are a survivor. Read on to see which survivor resources Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers thinks are a good option for anyone who needs help dealing with the aftermath of clergy abuse.
Organizational Resources
As more information becomes available about all of the cases of clergy abuse, more organizations are being formed to help victims. If you are trying to find support for yourself or someone else who suffered from clergy abuse, contacting one of these organizations can provide you with help.
Helping Survivors
Helping Survivors is an organization that focuses on child sexual abuse and is open to helping the victims of clergy sexual abuse. It provides an extensive amount of information about child sexual abuse as a means of making it easier to identify and address. You can also get access to other resources, including legal referrals, that can help you start the legal process [1].
Fighting back against abuse not only helps prevent others from suffering, but it can also help you start your recovery. It can help you regain your power and control while giving you a worthwhile cause to focus on. Working with an established organization is one of the best ways to join the fight against abuse. Here are a few options to help you get started.
BishopAccountability.org
Bishop Accountability.org is a collection of informational resources about clergy abuse and actions taken to address the problem. The organization is not involved in advocacy or solving the problem of widespread abuse.
Instead, it is intended to be a non-affiliated, non-partisan resource for information, like an online library, to help people from other organizations find the information that they need [2].
The information that can be found in the collection is expansive, covering everything from a list of accused clergy to legislation introduced to address clergy abuse. If you need specific information to support your efforts in fighting abuse, this could be a great resource for educational purposes.
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests (SNAP)
SNAP is one of the largest and oldest support networks for victims of clergy abuse. The goal of the organization is to provide a network that can help people address abuse and take action to help others.
It takes a wide look at clergy abuse, monitoring and reporting on cases in multiple states while creating opportunities for survivors to work alongside other survivors to find the support that they need and take action to end abuse everywhere [3].
The Archangel Foundation
The Archangel Foundation is a small group that helps people who are afraid to come forward and take action against the church.
The group is also focused on using external methods, such as state investigations and mandatory reporting requirements, to try to remove clergy who are responsible for abuse, even if the church is unwilling to enforce internal policies.
If you are looking for help coming forward about abuse but want to do so in a quiet and effective way, the Archangel Foundation may be able to help you [4].
1in6.org
1in6.org is an organization dedicated to helping male victims of clergy abuse find the support that they need. Traditionally, men don’t normally come forward about abuse and suffer in silence because of it. This organization is trying to change that by openly discussing the problem and connecting victims with the right resources to get the mental and physical help that they need [5].
No More
No More is another sexual abuse recovery network that focuses on men. However, it is not specific to clergy abuse. Instead, it is focused on helping men worldwide find support rather than keeping the abuse a secret. The organization’s website also has a library of recovery videos so that you have quick access to resources when you need them [6].
Mental Health Resources
On top of all of the other problems that abuse causes, long-term mental health impacts appear to be one of the most prominent problems that victims continue to suffer from.
Without appropriate mental health support, many abuse survivors struggle with mental issues in various ways. Fortunately, better access to mental health is becoming available to survivors. Here are a few organizations that can help you find the right mental health support.
Hidden Water
Hidden Water is a mental health support group that works with victims of child sexual abuse. What makes Hidden Water different is that it embraces modern technologies to better communicate with people who need help.
For example, the group now has a podcast to help reach a wider audience, even if that audience is not ready to engage with others about their abuse. The group also embraces people who have abused others and are trying to change and help others [7].
Brave Movement
Brave Movement is focused on preventing and ending child sexual violence, including clergy abuse. It provides direct access to many hotlines and other resources, making it easy to quickly connect with help in a critical situation. The organization also does a lot of advocacy work and invites people to participate as much as possible [8].
Lamplighter Movement
The Lamplighter Movement is an international movement against child sexual violence. There are chapters across the United States and in multiple countries around the world.
The organization’s goal is to make an in-person resource available in as many places as possible. That way, they can reach people who need help quickly. It also makes it easier to do advocacy-related initiatives [9].
Road to Recovery, Inc.
Road to Recovery, Inc. is an organization that provides support to abuse victims to help them start on a path to recovery. More than anything else, R2R is dedicated to providing guidance for victims of abuse. It guides the through the process of recovery so that no survivor has to figure it all out alone. The organization also provides referrals for mental health help [10].
Intervention and Emergency Resources
The first step out of an abusive situation and into recovery is always the hardest. That’s why there are resources available to intervene and help victims get into a better situation. Here are a few resources to help victims get out of an emergency situation and find help quickly.
RAINN
RAINN is one of the best-known resources in the community and is focused on sexual assault victims of any age or type. The organization is designed to make resources available for survivors while also taking steps to push legislation changes. Recently, RAINN successfully helped get legislation passed that increases protections for child sensual assault victims [11].
Survivors Chat
Survivors Chat is a group for sexual assault victims. Their goal is to provide victims with an outlet to discuss their situation with other people who have been through the same thing.
The group promotes healing and self-care alongside resources for mental health and physical health. You also gain access to online chat resources so that you can talk to someone at all times [12].
Stop It Now!
Stop It Now! is an organization that focuses on prevention by getting adults involved in situations to stop child abuse. It offers training to help people spot and stop abuse.
There are also online resources to help anyone find the care that they need, as well as a phone line that people can call, and the organization can coordinate support to help victims in abusive situations [13].
Legal Resources
Many states are making changes to help victims take legal action against their abusers. In previous decades, the statute of limitations (the legal time limit for filing lawsuits), could easily stop you from taking action well into your adult years.
Many victims don’t come forward until later in life and well after the statute has expired. Now, many states have suspended or extended the statute of limitations to give you a better chance.
If taking legal action against your abuser is something that you want to learn more about, use these resources to find the right legal help or to get legal advice on what to do next.
Catholic Whistleblowers
Catholic Whistleblowers is an organization of former priests and other religious people who work to expose instances of abuse within religious organizations. Many of the participants are people who reported abuse within the church in previous cases and continue to help victims with their cases whenever possible [14].
Stronger Than
Stronger Than is an organization that helps survivors of child and clergy sexual abuse. Its mission is to educate people about abuse, as well as to help others find the resources that they need to recover.
A big part of Stronger Than’s focus is on education about the different types of abuse and what your options are. The organization’s website has plenty of information that can be helpful for someone who wants to learn more about abuse and what to do about it. You can also get referral information for other resources, including national hotlines and legal help [15].
Contact a Clergy Abuse Lawyer
You may still be able to take action against your abuser, even if it’s been decades, thanks to the changes in legislation. The best way to know if you have a case is to discuss it with a clergy abuse lawyer. They can assess your situation and tell you the best way to move forward from there.
Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers is a leading personal injury law firm that takes on clergy abuse cases. We’ve represented injured clients for decades and have the experience and expertise needed to take on members of religious organizations. Contact us for a free consultation by filling out our contact form or calling toll-free at (888) 424-5757. A member of our legal team is available 24 hours a day to answer your call.