Resources

Helpful Links to Other Web Sites

Legal Research

Crime Victim Services, from the Attorney General of Texas - Report, "What We Can Do About Child Abuse," covers recognizing physical, emotional and sexual abuse of children, then responding to the child and guidelines for reporting abuse to civil authorities.

Nat'l Ctr. for Prosecution of Child Abuse - Established by district attorneys, it serves as a resource for training, legal assistance, court reform and information on criminal child abuse investigations and prosecutions.

The National Crime Victim Bar Association - refers crime victims to lawyers in their local area, and works to increase general awareness about the availability of civil remedies for victims of crime.

Texas Legislature Online - Contact your local reps. Follow a bill through the legislative process.

Clergy Abuse Research

Bishop Accountability - A highly acclaimed archive of legal documents from around the country, exposing decades of abuse cover-up by Catholic church officials.

Philadelphia, PA Grand Jury Report - Released September 2005

Boston, MA Grand Jury Report - Released July 2003

Suffolk Cty. NY Grand Jury Report - Released February 2003

Jason Berry - a collection of news stories by or about the renowned investigative reporter Jason Berry, author of "Lead Us Not Into Temptation."

Richard Sipe - Formerly a priest, Richard Sipe is a psychotherapist and author devoted full time to research into the sexual and celibate practices of Roman Catholic bishops and priests. He is a noted expert on the sexual teaching of the church and its effects on behavior—especially sexual abuse of minors by clergy. Sipe has served as a consultant and expert witness in both civil and criminal cases involving the sexual abuse of minors by Catholic priests.

Thomas Doyle Memo - An examination of the Canon Law in matters concerning the sexual abuse of children. Prepared in support of the plaintiffs in the Fr. Rudy Kos case, Dallas, Texas 1995.

Child Sexual Abuse: A Review of the Literature - Prepared by the John Jay College Research Team, for the U. S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

News Summaries - Clergy Abuse

Dallas Morning News - "Runaway Priests Hiding in Plain Site." The Dallas Morning News investigates Catholic priests living and working abroad who are accused of sexually abusing children. Web site requires registration.

Boston Globe - Spotlight Investigation, "Abuse in the Catholic Church." Web site requires registration.

Google.com - Search results for "Catholic, abuse" news stories

Religion Web Sites

U. S. Conference of Catholic Bishops - Web site includes bishops' Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People.

Parishes On-Line - U.S. directory of the Catholic church, with searchable databases.

Voice of the Faithful - Founded in the wake of the Boston scandal, VOTF is a national organization of faithful Catholics who seek to actively participate in the governance and guidance of the Catholic Church, with a primary goal to support those who have been abused.

Orthodox Reform - A web site advocating reform to combat sexual misconduct within the Eastern Orthodox Church.

Pokrov.org - Another Orthodox Church web site with many resources and reports concerning abuse.

Education and Advocacy

Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) - Support and advocacy by and for survivors of clergy sexual abuse. SNAP is based in Chicago, with local chapters and support group meetings in over cities nationwide. Texas chapters are located in Dallas, Houston, San Antonio and Amarillo.

Texas Association Against Sexual Assault - The Texas Association Against Sexual Assault (TAASA) is the statewide organization committed to ending sexual violence in Texas. A non-profit educational and advocacy organization based in Austin, TAASA member agencies comprise a statewide network of more than 70 crisis centers that serve rural as well as metropolitan areas.

Texas Department of Family and Protective Services - The mission of The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services is to protect children, the elderly, and people with disabilities from abuse, neglect, and exploitation by involving clients, families and communities. Every day, almost 6,800 DFPS employees in more than 249 offices across the state protect the physical safety and emotional well-being of the most vulnerable citizens of Texas.

Children's Advocacy Centers of Texas - established in an effort to enhance the sensitivity and responsiveness of the criminal and civil justice systems, thereby minimizing the impact of child abuse, providing vital medical and mental health services for these children and their families, and facilitating the prosecution of perpetrators.

Confronting Sexual Assault in Texas - (Feature story from Univ. of Texas at Austin.) In 2003 results of the first and only study of sexual assault in the State of Texas revealed what practitioners working in the field already knew: sexual assault is a pervasive problem, affecting women and men of all backgrounds. About 20 percent of women and 5 percent of men, about 1.9 million Texans, have been the victim of assault.

Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) - The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) is the nation's largest anti-sexual assault organization and has been ranked as one of “America’s 100 Best Charities by Worth magazine. Among its programs, RAINN created and operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1.800.656.HOPE.

The Healing Alliance - Enabling survivors to discover life beyond abuse. The Alliance offers workshops at The Farm, a 1300-acre complex located outside Louisville, KY. Survivors of sexual abuse can participate in recovery-focused programs, rest, and make progress in their healing.  It is a non-religious setting, and is not affiliated with any religious institution.

Sexual Abuse of Males - Web site by a Massachusetts psychologist, offers resources on the sexual abuse of boys and the lasting effects of childhood sexual abuse in the lives of men.

Silent Lambs - News and information about child abuse and the Jehovah's Witnesses.

Free attorney consultation: Contact Dallas lawyer Tahira Khan Merritt today for a free consultation about your child sexual abuse case.