Religious Abuse is Non-Denominational
Sex abuse is rampant in religious institutions. And often, just like with Olympic sports, rather than hold these predators accountable, religious institutions often ignore or cover up sexual abuse of children by clergy members.
Our Battle Against Clergy Abuse in Religious Institutions
Jon Little is a bold advocate in the fight against sexual abuse within religious institutions. Two of his most notable cases involve the Archdiocese of Syracuse and Rabbi Shmuel Krawatsky in Baltimore.
The Archdiocese of Syracuse: A Landmark Case
Jon exposed rampant and systemic sexual abuse within the Archdiocese of Syracuse, filing the first sexual abuse lawsuit against the Archdiocese on behalf of his client Kevin Braney hours after the New York Child Victims Act was signed into law. This marked a significant milestone in the fight for justice for survivors of clergy abuse. The Archdiocese filed for bankruptcy in 2020 after being inundated with over 100 lawsuits under the Child Victims Act. This act allowed survivors of childhood sexual abuse to file claims regardless of when the abuse occurred.
Jon was part of the legal team that negotiated a historic $100 million settlement for the victims. This settlement is one of the largest ever for a bankrupt Roman Catholic institution in the United States. It brought long-awaited justice to hundreds of survivors and highlighted the systemic issues within the Church that allowed such abuse to persist for decades.
Beyond the financial compensation, Jon advocates for non-monetary reforms. He pushed for the public release of documents related to abusive clergy and the implementation of stricter child protection protocols within the diocese. His work has been instrumental in ensuring that the Church not only compensates the victims but also takes significant steps to prevent future abuse.
The Rabbi Krawatsky Case: Exposing Abuse in the Orthodox Community
In Baltimore, Jon Little represented families in a case against Rabbi Shmuel Krawatsky, who was accused of sexually abusing children at Camp Shoresh, an Orthodox Jewish summer camp. The allegations against Rabbi Krawatsky were severe, including assault and battery, and the case became a focal point for discussions about abuse within the Orthodox Jewish community.
When the victims reported Rabbi K’s sexual abuse, he responded by suing the victims, their parents, and Jon for defamation, crowd sourcing over $1 million to cover his legal fees while Jon defended the victims and countersued Rabbi K for the sexual abuse of the victims pro-bono. The Jury ultimately found Rabbi K liable for sexually abusing two boys at the Jewish Summer camp, but in a stunningly cold twist, only awarded the victims $8000 in damages, which didn’t even cover the $200,000 in legal costs Jon’s law firm put into this case—demonstrating how pervasively broken judicial system is.
While Jon’s work has ensured Rabbi K will never be able to rape another boy while the Orthodox Jewish community looks the other way, this tragic case just demonstrates how ill equipped our court system is at providing justice to victims of pervasive institutional sex abuse.
Hope for Change within Religious Institutions
Jon’s continued pursuit of justice for victims of clergy abuse has had a profound impact on both the legal and religious landscapes. His efforts have not only brought justice to individual survivors but also pushed for systemic changes within religious institutions while exposing the cold failures of our system. By holding powerful entities accountable utilizing the legal system and the media, Jon continues to fight for victims and continues to advocate for transparency and accountability in religious organizations.
