Sexual Abuse: Pedophile Pediatiricians | Brooklyn Personal Injury Attorney

 

SEXUAL  ABUSE: PEDOPHILE  PEDIATRICIANS

It would be hard to imagine something as repugnant as members of the clergy participating in, and countenancing, the sexual abuse of those they counsel and to whom they provide spiritual guidance.   If exceed that we must, we only have to look at the cases of sexual abuse coming to light now involving pediatricians and their patients, ranging in age from 2 years to teenage.

As with priests in the Catholic Church, physicians who become aware of these gross violations of professional conduct by their colleagues invariably seek the removal of that colleague from their practice, and condone the fact that those pedophiles simply relocate to another practice.

The continued participation by the pedophile physicians in their abominable activities would seem to be preferable to fellow physicians than pursuing avenues that would certainly lead to removal from the practice of medicine and probable criminal prosecution.   The welfare of the young patients, as was the case with the welfare of young parishioners, is of secondary importance !  The “code of silence,” it would seem, crosses professional boundaries.

Within just the past few months, what is possibly the single worst case of physician pedophilia came to light in Delaware.  Dr. Earl Bradley was accused of sexually abusing more than 100 children. The accusations ranged from oral sex to rape, and his history is one of willful ignorance and repeated inaction by professional colleagues and police.

Outrageous and illegal activity such as that which is described should not go without some recourse for the victims. The effects of this conduct will likely last a lifetime, and the pain and suffering visited upon these young people in  their most tender years should not go uncompensated.  While the pedophile himself may be “judgment proof,” those from whom the victim or his or her family seek legal help will, if adequately experienced, be in a position to seek out other sources that contributed in some way to the offenses that occurred and who are, themselves, susceptible to providing the compensation to which the victim is entitled.
For more information on what to do if you or a loved one has been sexually abused in New York , contact The Orlow Firm online or at 800-LAW-NYNY.
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Statute of Limitations Reform: Abuse Victims | Brooklyn Personal Injury Attorney

ABUSE  VICTIMS: STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS REFORM

In a recent New York Times article, Lawrence Lessig, a law professor at Harvard, noted the continuing role of the Catholic Church in opposing any change in New York State’s Statute of Limitations with respect to the ability of Sexual Abuse victims seeking redress for the harm they suffered.

Professor Lessig pointed out that New York has one of the most restrictive Statute of Limitations when it comes to child sexual abuse.  New York law requires a person to bring a lawsuit involving sexual abuse within five years of reaching their 18th birthday, or forever be barred from bringing such a lawsuit.

Three times the New York State Assembly has passed legislation altering that law.

Assemblywoman Margaret Markey has attempted to extend the Statute to allow a lawsuit TEN years following the 18th birthday and, additionally, to allow a ONE YEAR WINDOW, during which anyone, of any age, could bring a lawsuit for sexual abuse.  The New York State Senate has repeatedly refused to follow the Assembly’s example in passing such legislation.

According to Professor Lessig, “At the core of the opposition to this bill is heavy lobbying by the New York Catholic Conference (which)…has hired top dollar lobbyists to kill the bill.”   The object of the Catholic Conference is an attempt to protect the Church from the loss of significant wealth resulting from the inevitable avalanche of lawsuits.  Of course, this will also result in hundreds, if not thousands, of victims being barred from receiving compensation for the harm they suffered.
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