Recommendations
Further necessary and lasting change must come from a collective resolve by the Catholic Church itself, government, and the public, to acknowledge the failures of the past while embracing bold, corrective action to ensure they are not repeated. Collectively, these reforms are critical for transparency, accountability, and public safety. Although the harm to victims of clergy child sexual abuse in Rhode Island can never be undone, these proposed reforms will empower survivors to pursue a measure of justice against responsible institutions and their leaders, expose and deter institutional misconduct, help our community learn from past mistakes, and better protect our children.
Download the Report
Recommendations to the Diocese
Clergy Monitoring and Internal Investigations
Currently, there is still no policy or practice in place for monitoring credibly accused clergy members. We recommend that the Diocese establish a monitoring program from credibly accused clergy and improve upon policies and procedures for internal investigations of sexual misconduct complaints.
To learn more, see Report page 239
Survivor Supports
Among other means of strengthening survivor supports, we recommend that the Diocese establish a new, independent financial compensation program for survivors, modeled after programs already adopted by other prominent archdioceses and dioceses during the last decade.
To learn more, see Report page 256
Greater Transparency
We recommend that the Diocese expand its list of credibly accused clergy and enter into a new Letter of Understanding with the Attorney General to facilitate continued oversight of the Diocese’s response to the clergy abuse crisis.
To learn more, see Report page 260
Recommendations to the Legislature
Adopt a Grand Jury Reporting Statute
The proposed legislation that this Office continues to support would authorize grand juries to issue public reports on their findings, even when they do not return an indictment, subject to court oversight and procedural safeguards. We continue to advocate for a grand jury reporting statute because it would give Rhode Islanders an essential tool for public awareness and accountability in matters that are not prosecutable for any number of reasons, but which nevertheless implicate the public interest and warrant the public’s attention.
To learn more, see Report page 265
Expand the Limitations Period for Second-Degree Sexual Assault
The proposed legislation that this Office has spearheaded would establish a ten-year statute of limitations for second-degree sexual assault, measured from the date of the offense. We believe this legislative fix is needed to reflect the reality that delayed reporting is commonplace among sexual abuse victims, particularly young and vulnerable victims.
To learn more, see Report page 267
Revive Civil Claims Against Institutional Defendants
The proposed legislation would amend Rhode Island’s civil statute of limitations for child sexual abuse to permits prospective plaintiffs whose claims previously expired to sue the institutions and supervisors responsible for enabling or covering up their abuse during a “revival window.”
To learn more, see Report page 268
Amend the Mandatory Reporting Statute
These proposed amendments to the Mandatory Reporting Statute would clarify the state mandatory reporting law to explicitly require the reporting of known or suspected child sexual abuse or neglect committed by clergy and other religious leaders, or any person employed by a church or religious body with supervisory responsibilities over children.
To learn more, see Report page 273