You don’t have to be afraid of abusive clergy members. Ohio’s state laws give you the right to take legal action against anyone abusing a position of power. Our Cincinnati clergy abuse lawyers can help you identify instances of abuse, bring them to the attention of a court, and hold bad actors accountable.
We have nearly 30 years of experience advocating for people in your shoes. We know how frightening it can be to take action against abusive clergy members. That’s why our Cincinnati civil rights lawyers offer our comprehensive and compassionate representation – we want you to have the tools you need to take back control of your life.
You can book a no-charge, no-judgment case evaluation with our Cincinnati staff members today.
Clergy Abuse Can Look Different for Different People
There are several types of abuse that clergy members can use to control the people who trust them. The most common can include the following:
Financial Abuse
Many religious institutions claim that they need financial support from community members to improve their facilities and improve religious outreach. While some institutions make good on their promises to properly use donations, many don’t.
Some religious authority figures may even misuse private financial information, including bank account numbers and credit cards, to fund their private lives.
Unfortunately, religious figures with older followers may take advantage of those followers’ lack of understanding of modern banking. Those older members may look at their accounts one day and discover that religious authorities have cleared out their savings or compromised their retirement for their own gain.
Sexual or Physical Abuse
There’s some considerable overlap between physical and sexual abuse. Physical abuse can see a religious authority figure engage in corporal punishment against a community member. Intimidation, assault, and battery also constitute physical abuse.
Sexual abuse can, unfortunately, involve an emotional element wherein a religious authority uses their power over another party to coerce nonconsensual sexual acts out of them. You have the right to pursue a sexual abuse case against a clergy member if you’re nonconsensually groped, assaulted, raped, or molested.
Parents and guardians can meet with clergy abuse lawyers in Cincinnati, OH, to discuss how they can represent minors in sexual abuse cases.
Emotional or Psychological Abuse
Emotional and psychological abuses don’t leave the same physical symptoms of mistreatment behind as their peers. However, both forms of abuse can cause someone to undergo a significant and unexplained change in behavior.
Different forms of emotional and psychological abuse may include the following:
- Persistently belittling a member of a religious community and encouraging their peers to do the same
- Isolating a member of a religious community
- Insulting a community member’s intelligence, financial standing, or physical appearance
- Neglecting an in-need member of a religious community
- Providing in-need members of religious communities with false or dangerous information
- Gaslighting
- Guilt-tripping
- Damage to property and intimidation
Because this category of abuse can become so broad, we encourage anyone who suspects a clergy member of emotional abuse to approach an attorney right away. Our professional peers can assess the situation and make legal recommendations accordingly.
For a free legal consultation with a clergy abuse lawyer serving Cincinnati, call 614-481-6000
What to Do if You’ve Suffered From Clergy Abuse
If you’re asking yourself how to prove clergy abuse, it’s time to call a Cincinnati clergy abuse lawyer. We do not want you to try to challenge a religious authority figure alone. Unfortunately, most religious figures have a considerable amount of power and can make their victims’ lives socially or financially harder in retaliation for perceived disrespect.
This does not mean you shouldn’t report your abuse. We recommend you get in touch with police officers immediately after you begin working with an attorney. While our team can’t pursue a criminal case in your name, we can connect you with legal professionals who can champion your cause. Those same parties can file protective orders in your name.
In the meantime, we can begin building a personal injury case against your abuser. The conversations we have about your abuse will allow you to pursue justice without retriggering you or putting you in uncomfortable positions. All of these conversations will enable us to better fight for abuse compensation on your behalf.
Cincinnati Clergy Abuse Lawyer Near Me 614-481-6000
What Compensation to Expect from a Clergy Abuse Case
Clergy abuse claims allow Cincinnati’s clergy abuse attorneys to advocate for your right to a loss-based settlement. We can calculate the value of all of the losses relevant to your case when you meet with us for a free case consultation.
You have the right to request compensation for the tangible and intangible losses you endured due to someone else’s abuse. The most common of these losses can include the following:
- Emergency medical care
- Physical therapy
- Mental health care
- Temporary or permanent disabilities
- Lost wages
- Property damage
- Emotional distress
- Pain and suffering
- Reduced quality of life
You can learn more about the settlements we’ve secured by reading through our results page. We’ve won over $700 million in our clients’ names, and we can do the same for you.
Click to contact our Cincinnati Civil Rights Lawyers today
Our Team Works for You on a Contingency Fee Basis
We understand that there are several factors that can keep clergy abuse victims from coming forward. Fear is one of them. Finances are another.
Our team makes a point to offer compassionate, nonjudgmental services to anyone who wants to discuss whether or not they’ve suffered from clergy abuse.
We also offer our advice on a contingency fee basis. Our contingency fees ensure that you don’t pay a dime upfront for our services. We only get paid if we win your case, and there’s no charge for your consultation.
Don’t let clergy members get away with unchecked abuse. The sooner you speak out, the sooner you can protect the rest of your community from mistreatment. You can book a free case evaluation with our clergy abuse attorneys in Cincinnati, OH, today.
Call or text 614-481-6000 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
