Chicago archdiocese accused of racism in abuse settlements

December 11, 2009

Forty-nine alleged victims of clerical abuse have filed suit against Cardinal Francis George and the Archdiocese of Chicago, alleging that “the defendants have acted intentionally to silence the voices of African-American and minority victims while defendants distributed false and deceptive information to the public in an attempt to prevent the victims of clergy sexual abuse, their families and the African-American and minority community from expressing and exposing racism and discrimination.”

Calling statements in the lawsuit “factually not correct,” an archdiocesan spokeswoman stood by the results of a recent audit that found that African-American abuse victims have received, on average, 28% higher settlements than white abuse victims.

 

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Further information:

• Suit against Cardinal Francis George: Chicago archdiocese accused of bias against African-American victims of sex abuse (Chicago Tribune)