St. Barnabas Catholic Church—Clergy Sexual Abuse in Long Beach, CA
Sexual abuse at the hands of a respected church leader, who is supposed to provide guidance on matters of morality, is perhaps the ultimate betrayal of trust. In the last several decades, the Roman Catholic Church has incurred thousands of accusations and church sexual abuse claims worldwide. This includes clergy sexual abuse at St. Barnabas Catholic Church in Long Beach, California, and other southern California churches.
If you or someone you love has experienced church sexual abuse, you should not have to suffer in silence with the trauma of what you have been through. The experienced and compassionate team at Boucher LLP has spent many years working on clergy sexual abuse claims. We understand how to navigate the complex California legal system while allowing you the space and grace to heal.
Church Sexual Abuse at St. Barnabas Catholic Church in Long Beach, CA
St. Barnabas Catholic Church is located at 3955 Orange Ave, Long Beach, CA, 90807. It is not uncommon for survivors of clergy abuse to forget the name of their abuser. This can happen for a number of reasons:
- The survivor was young at the time of the abuse;
- Intentional efforts to block the abuse from memory;
- A subconscious protection mechanism such as dissociation; or
- The name of the abuser was never actually known.
Even if a survivor does not recall the name of the abuser, they often remember the name of the church. The Catholic Church keeps accurate records of all clergy members and when they served. Here are two men who served at St. Barnabas Catholic Church and were accused of church sexual abuse:
- Father Theodore Llanos served at St. Barnabas Catholic Church from 1986 to 1989. In 1995, prosecutors filed a criminal case with 38 counts of child molestation against him. All the charges were dropped because the criminal statute of limitations had expired. He was accused of sexually abusing over 30 minors between the years 1974 and 1994. Llanos committed suicide in 1997.
- Father Donal O’Conner served at St. Barnabas Catholic Church in 1956 and 1957. He was ordained in 1955. He faced three sexual abuse claims between 1959 and 1980. He was placed on administrative leave and retired in 2002.
If you or someone you know experienced clergy sexual abuse at St. Barnabas Catholic Church, you have the right to seek justice.
Seeking Closure, Justice, and Compensation
While nothing can erase the trauma caused by clergy sexual abuse, holding abusers and the institutions that harbored them accountable through civil lawsuits can prevent others from suffering a similar experience. Rarely does an accused abuser have only one victim. Filing a church sexual abuse claim can make a difference in your own life and also in the lives of other survivors.
No amount of monetary compensation will ever be enough to make up for your suffering, but it can help you find closure, punish wrongdoers, and help you find financial stability to cope with your trauma. Compensation can include damages for:
- Post traumatic stress,
- Loss of enjoyment of life,
- Anxiety and depression, and
- Cost of trauma-related therapy.
Your story matters. Many abusers rely on the hope that survivors will never come forward for fear of embarrassment or not being believed. There is no reason to be embarrassed or ashamed, and it’s time to take back your power.
Helping You Move Forward
Boucher LLP is committed to fighting for justice and accountability, so you can begin to heal. We accept church sexual abuse cases throughout Southern California. Many survivors convince themselves they do not have a valid sexual abuse claim. We will gladly provide a non-judgmental review of your case, so you can be certain as to whether there is a path forward for obtaining monetary compensation. Contact us for your free case evaluation.