Sexual abuse victims testify against Oakland Diocese bankruptcy amid lawsuits
By Anser Hassan
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OAKLAND, California (KGO) — Emotional and graphic statements were given on Friday from several survivors who are part of the sexual abuse scandal linked to the Oakland Diocese.
Their appearance in court was part of an effort by the judge overseeing the churches’ bankruptcy proceedings.
“Today’s session involved survivors of childhood sexual assault by priests at the Catholic Church giving their personal statements to the court and to the bishop,” said Attorney Rick Simons.
Simons represents numerous survivors in the sexual abuse scandal linked to the Oakland Diocese. The case was supposed to go to court last year. But the Catholic Church filed for bankruptcy in an effort to settle almost 350 claims. That paved the way for victim statements on Friday, something that doesn’t usually happen in bankruptcy proceedings.
“To give the survivors some voice in the process. We spent three years in state court with our lawsuits, with our survivors. We had the right to a jury trial, to speak publicly about what each survivor experience has been. And that’s taken away from us,” Simons said.
“I have been in this a long time and most of the abuse survivors I know, never tell me the deep graphic details of the abuse,” said Tim Stier, a whistle-blower priest.
Stier is a whistle-blower priest, expelled for his efforts to tackle the sexual abuse scandal. He was in court to hear survivors speak. While it is not a legally established process, the experiment is being used across the country and is gaining popularity.
“It educates bankruptcy judges on a visceral, heart level, what these people go through. Not only what happened, but it affects their whole lives and every relationship in their lives,” Stier said.
The Oakland Diocese did not return a request for comment. But in a message posted on its website, it states that is offering between $160 to $198 million to settle hundreds of sexual abuse cases.
The statement said in part: “We recognize that no amount of money can fully and satisfactorily compensate survivors for the abuse they suffered.”
Simons calls the offer a scam, saying the church undervalued assets and excluded others from the process.
“Several years ago before these cases were brought, bishop barber proposed closing over 20 parishes because they are underutilized–and liquidating them. In the plan, none of that real estate is touched,” Simons said.
The bankruptcy hearing continues this week.
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