A group of women from across the country have joined a "club" they never wanted to belong to, nor did they ask to join. They are survivors of childhood sexual abuse allegedly perpetrated by International House of Prayer founder Mike Bickle and members of his staff. They say the systematic grooming and abuse spans decades and includes dozens of women and men. IHOPKC abuse survivor, known as Gracia, says, "Over 100 women have confided in me, sharing firsthand accounts of rampant sexual abuse at IHOPKC and the systemic cover-ups that enabled it." They, along with other...

One by one, the speakers walked up to the small table early Wednesday, then sat and faced the panel of lawmakers in front of them. Several came from across the country — Michigan, Minnesota, Tennessee and Texas. For some, it was their first time in the Missouri Capitol building. They came to testify in support of two bills under consideration by Missouri lawmakers dealing with child sexual abuse. One would eliminate the statute of limitations in lawsuits involving child sex abuse. The other would prohibit the use of non-disclosure agreements in child sex abuse settlements. But the...

Last week, Christian County judge Jessica L. Kruse ruled against motions made by Kanakuk Kamps and ACE Insurance Co. in a fraud case filed against them by sexual abuse survivor Andrew Summersett. Despite their arguments that Summersett’s claim was filed after the statute of limitations, the case will proceed. Summersett is suing Kanakuk, ACE and other individual parties for fraudulent concealment and civil conspiracy related to sexual abuse he experienced as a child at the hands of Kanakuk camp counselor Pete Newman. Newman was a serial offender during his tenure at Kanakuk and is currently serving two life sentences...

Thomas Finnerty is suing St. Mary’s Seminary and the Associated Sulpicians who run it, alleging child sexual abuse over years by a seminarian at St. Mary’s. Attorneys Michael Belsky and Catherine Dickinson, of Schlachman, Belsky, Weiner & Davey, P.A., are representing Finnerty. His alleged abuser, who is now dead, went on to be convicted in New Jersey as a priest for sexual offenses against minors.

Right now, survivors can file civil claims three years after realizing they were victimized or until their 28th birthday, whichever is later. Legislation proposed last year in the Michigan House would give them until they turn 52, or seven years after discovering they were a victim. That legislation has stalled.

A West Michigan man is speaking out and sharing his story of childhood abuse nearly three decades later. For victims who don't come forward immediately, the statute of limitations for civil claims can expire. If that happens, it can make the process of getting justice near impossible for those victims. 38-year-old Nicholas Fish, a father of four, said it’s his children who inspired him to push for legislation in Lansing to create more hope and opportunities for victims of sexual assault. “I just ask for a fair outcome. I’m not doing it for just myself, I could care less, there's...

- The suit prompted a major newspaper investigation into Southern Baptist sexual abuse and seven other men to come forward with allegations against Paul Pressler, an influential conservative activist and former Texas judge. - Rollins said weaponized religious language to justify his predations — were so traumatizing that he unconsciously developed a sort of Stockholm syndrome that, coupled with the drug and alcohol addictions he blamed on the trauma, made it impossible to recognize himself as a victim until decades had passed. Thus, Rollins argued, his statute of limitations should have begun when he realized he had been...

A brief filed earlier this year by lawyers for the Executive Committee, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and Lifeway, an SBC publisher, argues that a Kentucky law that changed the statute of limitations for making civil claims over abuse—and allowing survivors to sue third parties such as churches or police—should not be applied retroactively.