Ostensibly, religious retreats are supposed to allow members of religious communities to step away from the stresses of normal life and find spiritual comfort in nature, meditation, and the company of others. In practice, though, there have been numerous reports over the years of sexual assault and abuse occurring at such retreats, perpetrated by religious leaders, staff members, and sometimes other people participating in the retreat alongside the person they abused.
Sexual abuse is never acceptable, regardless of where or under what circumstances it happens, and sexual abuse at religious retreat centers can serve as the basis for civil litigation just like sexual abuse anywhere else could. If you experienced this type of mistreatment while away from home with a religious group, you have support available from the sexual abuse lawyers at Phillips Law Group in enforcing your right to recovery.
While religious retreat centers are typically not for-profit organizations, they still have a duty of care to protect their guests from harm to the fullest extent reasonably possible, including harm caused by other guests and/or staff members. Accordingly, if an act of sexual abuse occurs on the grounds of a religious retreat center, the owners and operators of that center may hold civil liability for ensuing damages alongside the person or persons who actually engaged in abusive behavior.
A comprehensive lawsuit or settlement demand over this type of mistreatment can seek restitution for both economic and non-economic forms of harm stemming from sexual abuse, including:
However, every case is different just like every individual person is, so it is worth discussing recovery options with legal counsel first before formally starting the litigation process.
Different filing time limits may apply to a civil claim over sexual abuse at a religious retreat center, depending on what state the abuse occurred in and how old the plaintiff was when they last experienced that abuse. As an example, Arizona state law typically grants a maximum of two years to file suit to adults who experience sexual abuse after the age of 18, but individuals who experience sexual abuse prior to turning 18 generally have until their 30th birthday to file suit against the people at fault for that abuse.
Certain states set substantially longer filing period for child sexual abuse claims as well as adult sexual abuse claims, and some have even explicitly abolished their “statute of limitations” for claims of these natures. Once again, a qualified legal professional can answer questions about the rules applicable to your prospective claim during a private initial meeting.
Going on a religious retreat should never put anyone in harm’s way, and certainly not at risk of being sexually assaulted or abused. However, if you nevertheless did experience sexual abuse at a religious retreat center, you may have important legal options at your disposal which our team can help you proactively pursue.
We have more than three decades of experience handling and achieving favorable outcomes from cases like this while still preserving the privacy of plaintiffs. Call today to learn what Phillips Law Group can do to assist you.
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