What is Clergy Abuse?

Clergy abuse occurs when church leaders (a priest, a pastor, a deacon, a bishop, a youth pastor, a worship leader, etc.) physically or sexually abuse someone else within the church. The most common victims of clergy abuse are children and teens.

How Common is Clergy Sexual Abuse in the U.S.?

Bishop Accountability is an online archive of sexual misconduct committed by Catholic clergy members. This source reports that the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) counted upwards of 7,000 credible sexual abuse allegations against Catholic priests from 1950 to 2018. The USCCB estimates that there were more than 20,000 victims of child sexual abuse within this 68 year time frame.

San Antonio Clergy Sexual Abuse Lawyer

Name: Janicek Law
Address: 1100 NE Interstate 410 Loop #600, San Antonio, Texas, 78209
Telephone: 210-366-4949

The San Antonio clergy sexual abuse lawyer team at Janicek Law helps survivors seek justice against priests, pastors, bishops, and other religious leaders across major faiths. This includes the Catholic Church, the Southern Baptist Convention, the FLDS Church, the Mormon Church, the Methodist Church, and other religious organizations. In the past year alone, the U.S. Catholic dioceses reported more than 1,300 new allegations of clergy sexual abuse, bringing total settlement payouts to over $5 billion. Investigations uncovered roughly 700 victims of sexual abuse within the Southern Baptist Convention spanning two decades. LDS reports show over 4,100 sexual abuse cases involving church members, including 130 former bishops and 84 incidents occurring in church buildings. A 6,000-person survey found that half of laywomen and one-third of laymen have witnessed or experienced sexual harassment or misconduct in the United Methodist church.

Sexual abuse in religious organizations causes lasting trauma. Texas law now allows survivors until their 48th birthday to file a civil claim for sexual assault.

If you have suffered sexual abuse in the Catholic church, Mormon church, Baptist church, Methodist church, or any other church, you have grounds to take legal action. The legal team at Janicek Law is committed to helping you speak up, seek justice, and obtain a fair settlement. Call 210-366-4949 to schedule a free consultation with a San Antonio sexual abuse lawyer.

How Common is Sexual Abuse in Religious Institutions in Texas

Sexual abuse in religious institutions is unfortunately very common across multiple religious groups. However, the sex abuse scandal within the Roman Catholic Church is probably the most well-known.

Sexual abuse victims are often shamed and threatened into silence by preachers, pastors, clergy, and other staff. Young victims are often too naïve and confused about the situation to recognize its severity. If the victims do report sexual misconduct within the church, staff often gaslight the victims and cover it up to protect the pastors or priests responsible.

Reports of countless coverups within the Roman Catholic church, Baptist churches, and Jewish schools have occurred.

Our San Antonio clergy sexual abuse attorneys discuss the approximate sex abuse numbers that are reported within the Catholic church, the Methodist church, the Southern Baptist Convention, and the Mormon church.

Roman Catholic Church Sexual Abuse in Bexar County

Key statistics for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB)-reported clergy sexual abuse within the U.S. Catholic Church include:

From July 2023 to June 2024, 902 allegations were made by 855 victims of child sexual abuse by clergy across 195 U.S. dioceses and eparchies.

Out of those 902 allegations, 122 were deemed credible by dioceses or eparchies, involving 121 individuals and 97 priests or deacons.

Over the past twenty years, U.S. Catholic dioceses, eparchies, and religious communities have recorded 16,276 credible allegations of sexual abuse of minors by priests, deacons, or religious brothers.

If you’ve experienced clergy sexual abuse in San Antonio, contact our law firm to discuss your sexual assault case.

Methodist Sexual Abuse in Bexar County

Sexual abuse statistics for The United Methodist Church (UMC) include:

The UMC states that it averages between 140 and 500 known cases of clergy sexual misconduct each year.
The United Methodist Church (UMC) issued a formal apology for sexual misconduct in 2024, recognizing that church leaders had prioritized institutional protection over accountability for misconduct.
A 2025 NBC report revealed that a preacher was accused of raping and molesting children for decades, and continued his ministry even after the Assemblies of God expelled him in 1989. He founded several organizations, which operated out of a former Methodist church. The pastor also launched Camp Bell, a youth camp that drew thousands of children and employed individuals accused or convicted of child sexual abuse.

Mormon Sexual Abuse in Bexar County

Statistics for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter‑day Saints (LDS Church) include:

As of November 2025, 4,110 LDS Church officials have been accused of sex crimes.
Of those, 2,908 were Scout leaders, 775 were convicted sex offenders, 130 were former bishops, 115 were former youth leaders, and 211 were former missionaries.
A report noted nearly 100 new child-sexual-abuse lawsuits filed in another state against the LDS Church in early 2025, following a three-year survivor legal window.

Additionally, a recent investigation exposed how The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints used legal privilege and financial settlements to conceal clergy sexual abuse. Audio recordings showed church attorney Paul Rytting blocked a bishop’s testimony in a child sex abuse case against former bishop John Goodrich in Idaho and later offered up to $300,000 in exchange for secrecy, leading prosecutors to drop the case.

In Texas, a FLDS member who was part of a polygamist offshoot of the Mormon Church was convicted of sexually assaulting a girl under 17 in what the sect called a “spiritual marriage.” He was one of several men indicted after authorities rescued over 400 children from the Yearning for Zion Ranch, where investigators uncovered systemic sexual abuse of underage girls.

Baptist Sexual Abuse in Bexar County

Texas megachurch pastor Robert Morris pleaded guilty to sexually abusing a 12-year-old girl in the. The plea followed public allegations that led to his 2024 resignation from Gateway Church.

Former Arlington pastor Brett Jarad Monroe, 39, was sentenced to over 24 years in federal prison for sexually exploiting children. He admitted to secretly recording minors showering in his home and trading child pornography online. The Baptist sexual abuse investigation revealed multiple victims and years of predatory behavior.

One recent investigation revealed decades of sexual abuse in Southern Baptist churches and missions, involving over 260 convicted or accused offenders, including missionaries abroad.

Another independent investigation found that Southern Baptist Convention leaders concealed decades of sexual abuse, silenced survivors, and maintained a secret list of over 700 accused ministers and volunteers. The church’s leadership prioritized avoiding lawsuits and protecting its reputation over victims’ safety.

If you’ve experienced Southern Baptist sexual abuse in San Antonio, contact our law firm for a free and confidential consultation.

Judaism Sexual Abuse in Bexar County

A Dallas rabbi was arrested and charged with indecency with a child. He served as director of Jewish Life at Akiba Yavneh Academy, which placed him on leave after learning of the allegations and notified police and Child Protective Services.

A Houston man who falsely claimed to be a rabbi was sentenced to 130 years in prison for sexually abusing his adopted sons. He fabricated his identity, posed as a rabbi, and misrepresented his children as Jewish while documenting their lives online.

If you’ve experienced abuse, contact a San Antonio religious leader sexual abuse attorney for a free consultation.

San Antonio Sexual Abuse Clergy, Pastor, Preacher, or Religious Teacher Examples

It’s difficult for many victims to determine what is considered sexual abuse and what isn’t. That’s because many of these victims were young and naïve when the abuse happened, and it’s difficult for children to fully understand what is happening to them.

Additionally, psychological manipulation often plays a huge role in sex abuse cases. A Catholic priest or other church official will do or say whatever it takes to silence these victims. This means that they may threaten physical harm or gaslight the victim into believing that what is happening is normal and fine. As a result, many child sexual abuse victims won’t realize that the sexual touching they experienced is actually abuse until many years later.

With that being said, here are common examples of sexual misconduct and abuse committed by clergy members:

Fondling and/or sexual touching of the genitalia and breasts
Performing or asking for oral sex
Sexual intercourse
Any kind of anal, oral, and/or vaginal penetration by another body part or object
Kissing on the lips
Filming, distributing, or possessing child pornography
Undressing in front of a victim
Masturbation in front of a victim
Forcing a victim to engage in mutual masturbation
Frequent sexual conversations with a victim (discussing their sex life, asking about the victim’s sexual experiences, general sexual flirting)
Sexual harassment
Giving inappropriate gifts to victims, such as lingerie or sex toys

If you or someone you love has experienced any of these forms of clergy sex abuse, you have grounds to contact a San Antonio sexual abuse lawyer at Janicek Law.

Long-Term Effects of Clergy Sexual Abuse

Even if the child sexual abuse was a one-time event, the victim will likely relive and remember the horror for the rest of their lives. Sexual abuse can create neurobiological changes in the brain, therefore leading to life-long physical and mental problems such as:

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Chronic anxiety and/or depression
Panic disorders
Suicidal thoughts and behaviors
Self-harm
Substance abuse
Personality disorders
Gastrointestinal health issues (chronic nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, and/or lack of appetite)
Musculoskeletal pain
Eating disorders
Extreme weight issues such as being underweight or overweight
Chronic fatigue
Insomnia
Frequent headaches
Cardiopulmonary issues like irregular heartbeat, shortness of breath, chest pain, heart disease, etc.
Hypersexuality or hyposexuality
And so much more

Victims of child sex abuse also struggle to find and maintain healthy relationships, whether that be friendships or romantic relationships. They may suffer from chronic trust issues, feeling unloved and unworthy constantly, and feeling unsafe. They may also gravitate towards abusive people and relationships because, as a child, they confused abuse with love.

Can I Sue for Clergy Sexual Abuse in Texas?

Yes, you can definitely sue for clergy sexual abuse, especially if it has severely disrupted your body, mind, and life. The San Antonio sexual abuse lawyers at Janicek Law are passionate about holding church officials accountable for their actions. We can help victims of child sexual abuse recover financial compensation through a civil lawsuit.

Financial Compensation for San Antonio Clergy Sexual Abuse Victims

If you have suffered sexual abuse in the Catholic church (or any other church), our legal team can help you recover financial compensation for the following types of damages:

Past and future medical expenses relating to psychiatric medications, psych ward hospitalizations, and stress-related physical ailments
Lost wages of your sexual trauma has caused you to miss work
Loss of earning capacity if your sexual trauma prevents you from accomplishing one or more of your job duties
Emotional distress
Mental health counseling expenses
Loss of consortium if your sexual trauma prevents you from having a normal relationship with your spouse

What is the Average Settlement Amount for Clergy Sexual Abuse?

According to combined data from Bishop Accountability and the John Jay Report, victims of Catholic Church sexual abuse have received a grand total of $3 billion in settlements over the last several decades. But the average settlement amount that Catholic Church sexual abuse victims have received is approximately $268,000.

San Antonio Sexual Abuse Settlements

$350
THOUSAND

$215
THOUSAND

$1.2
MILLION

Texas Statute of Limitations for Clergy Sexual Abuse

Tragically, by the time many victims of child sex abuse grow up and realize what has happened to them, they can no longer seek justice due to a tight window of time called the statute of limitations. This is why many states, including Texas, have recently extended the statute of limitations for victims of Catholic church sexual abuse.

According to a 2019 Associated Press article, Texas raised the age limit for sexual abuse claims from 33 to 48. In other words, victims abused by church officials have until their 48th birthday to file a civil lawsuit and recover damages. So if you have suffered sex abuse from priests in the Roman Catholic church (or any other church) and you’re younger than 48 years old, it’s not too late to seek justice. Contact the legal team at Janicek Law and we can fight for you.

Call a San Antonio Clergy Sexual Abuse Attorney For a Free Consultation

In order for children, teens, and other churchgoers to feel safe at church, the widespread sexual abuse must end. The Roman Catholic priests and other predatory church officials must be removed from their positions and jailed. In order for this to happen, victims must speak up with the help of strong legal representation. At Janicek Law, we are passionate about fighting for victims of institutional sexual abuse. Call 210-366-4949 to schedule a free consultation with our legal team today.

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