As allegations of sex crimes continue to be made against members of the clergy in Pennsylvania, court officials have repeatedly lamented the statutes of limitation which are frustrating many of the efforts at prosecution. Recently, members of the Pennsylvania state legislature introduced a bill which would allow alleged victims of sexual assault by priests to file civil lawsuits against their purported abuser.

Recently, a Catholic reform group sent a survey to over 880 local priests in an effort to gauge their feelings on the proposed law and similar efforts to extend the statutes of limitations on clergy sex abuse. Not surprisingly, most of the priests that responded to the survey expressed their disapproval of such efforts on the grounds that they would divert church funds to the defense and payment of these claims, taking money away from valuable public-service projects.

A significant majority of the priests surveyed (81 percent) did not respond. However, of the 165 responses received, 114, or 69 percent, reported that they did not support legislation to abolish the statute of limitations for child sex abuse by clergy, and to allow victims to pursue civil remedies. In contrast, just 38 priests, or 28 percent, reported that they supported such pro-victim legislation.

The respondents who were against the proposed legislation stated that, by allowing victims to file civil lawsuits against priests and the church, such laws would take funds away from "nursing homes, soup kitchens, school, and parishes", causing greater loss within the community. Some priests also expressed concern that the allowance of civil remedies would also increase the number of false accusations that would be brought and reputations that would be ruined.

As yet, the Pennsylvania legislature has not acted on the bill to create a civil remedy for clergy sex abuse. It remains to be seen whether this legislation has a future.

Source: Philadelphia Inquirer, "Priestly vows of 'No'", Monica Yant Kinney, 1 May 2011