New Legislation in Rhode Island expands access to justice for victims of child sex abuse.
Survivors across Rhode Island are coming forward with accounts of sexual abuse by clergy in positions of trust: priests, ministers, pastors, rabbis, and other religious leaders at churches, dioceses, synagogues, and religious institutions across the state, including the Diocese of Providence. The accounts span decades and denominations, and describe a recurring pattern: clergy using their authority over children to abuse them, superiors who failed to intervene, and religious institutions that concealed complaints and quietly moved offenders from congregation to congregation rather than report them to law enforcement.
In 2026, Rhode Island enacted a law opening a two-year revival window, taking effect July 1, 2026, that allows survivors to file civil claims for childhood sexual abuse that were previously barred by the statute of limitations, no matter how long ago the abuse occurred. State investigations have already documented decades of clergy abuse and institutional cover-up across religious organizations, including the Catholic Church, and survivors are now coming forward against the churches and dioceses that failed them. The window is open for a limited time, and attorneys are reviewing new claims from survivors abused by clergy across the state.
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