A New Orleans jury has awarded nearly $2.4 million in damages to a survivor of childhood sexual abuse by a member of the Holy Cross order. The verdict was made possible under Louisiana’s recent “lookback window” law, which temporarily allows older abuse cases to proceed despite expired statutes of limitations.
The survivor testified to decades-old misconduct, underscoring the long-lasting effects abuse can have on an individual’s life. Advocates see the case as a critical example of how legal reforms can provide justice to survivors who were previously barred from filing claims.
This verdict sends a strong message about accountability within religious institutions and highlights the importance of legislative reforms in expanding access to justice for survivors of historic abuse.
