South Dakota Attorneys Investigating Sexual Assault Claims Against the Roman Catholic Church Dioceses

Priests, bishops, pastors, brothers, and other authority figures have sexually molested many children and teenagers raised in religious households. These predators broke the spiritual bond between the Church and the parishioner that caused the victim a lifetime of struggle and unwarranted guilt.

The survivors often face years of sexual harassment and threats or repeated victimization by the religious predator who used fear and intimidation to keep the survivor silent. Other victims of horrific sexual assault live years in denial as the only practical solution for dealing with the unimaginable pain until an unrepressed memory makes keeping quiet more unbearable then staying silent.

It often takes decades for a sexual abuse victim to speak out and identify their assaulter, hoping they will be held accountable. If you are a sexual assault survivor and want justice, the compassionate network of affiliate attorneys at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, LLC, can help.

Our caring team of legal experts will fight to protect your rights and provide a safe place to speak openly about what occurred. Our clergy sexual abuse injury attorneys are here to listen to your story. We will use our comprehensive understanding of South Dakota tort law to present and win your case to ensure the sexual predator faces financial consequences.

Sexual Assault with Clergy Remains a Problem

In March 2019, the Roman Catholic Sioux Falls Diocese identified eleven religious leaders who had been credibly accused of sexually molesting underage minors. Ten of the accused Reverends were from the Jesuit Order. One predator, Father McDonough, served as a school principal and teacher at Saint Martin’s Academy in Rapid City between 1978 and 1983.

Another molester, Father Parshall, was assigned to the Pine Ridge Reservation Holy Rosary Mission / Red Cloud Indian School in 1964.

The Vatican laicized (defrocked) two of the accused priests in 2004, banning them from providing services but still allowed both to remain priests. Multiple accusers had identified both men as ‘sexual predators.’ Church and local law enforcement investigations substantiated every name on the Sioux Falls Diocese list. All accept two of the alleged predatory priests on the lists are known to be dead.

The Devastating Effects of Sexual Assault

Many sexual assault survivors are harmed because the predator slowly eroded the victim’s defenses through various means, including sexual threats, harassment, molestation, indecent exposure, committing lewd acts, or sharing pornographic videos. During the young child or teenager’s developing years, they often experience sleeping disorders, alcohol, and drug abuse, ongoing depression, self-injury, or suicidal ideation.

The youngest sexual abuse survivors, in time, might develop negative eating habits, begin living an over-sexualized lifestyle, or engage multiple forms of risky behavior.

Get Justice Now

Over the last couple of decades, the Roman Catholic Church in the United States has paid out billions of dollars in settlements to victims of sexual assault committed by Parish priests, bishops, reverends, cardinals, brothers, sisters, and others.

In December 2019, Pope Francis, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church, stated the church would abolish the cover-up secrecy involving sexual abuse allegations against religious leaders. This new policy put an end to decades of shielding priests and other church employees from criminal punishment and provides a pathway for victims to speak out about what happened and take legal action.

South Dakota Roman Catholic Church Diocese

In South Dakota, the Catholic Church is the single largest religious group of all faiths statewide. The Dioceses of Sioux Falls and Rapid City, along with their Bishops, manage more than 210 Churches and thirty-three Catholic schools throughout South Dakota (listed below), providing services to thousands of registered Catholics, parochial school children, and catechism students living in sixty-six counties.

South Dakota Dioceses

Diocese of Sioux Falls
523 N Duluth Ave
Sioux Falls, SD 57104
(605) 334-9861
Cathedral: Cathedral of Saint Joseph
Ecclesiastical province: Archdiocese of Saint Paul & Minneapolis

Diocese of Rapid City
606 Cathedral Dr
Rapid City, SD 57701
(605) 343-3541
Bishop: Sede Vacante
Cathedral: Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church

South Dakota Clergy Sexual Abuse Attorneys Are Ready to Help

Our network of affiliate attorneys understands the challenges of speaking out about what a shameful clergy member did to you. We know how powerful the church is at pushing back to say they have done nothing wrong.

However, with Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, LLC, working on your behalf, you will never deal with the Church or its attorneys alone. We will work aggressively to ensure your shocking story will be heard before settling your case out of court or when presenting evidence in front of a judge and jury.

Let us begin working on your lawsuit today to ensure that all the necessary paperwork is filed before the South Dakota statute of limitations expires. Taking legal action against a clergy member could stop the sexual assault of others in the future.

We will successfully resolve your case, obtain financial compensation, and protect your rights. Contact us now at (888) 424-5757. All information you share during an initial, free consultation concerning your case will remain confidential.