Legal analysts in Florida and around the country are closely following the developments in a case that hinges on whether or not a law that extends the statute of limitations in child sexual abuse cases should be applied retroactively. The lawsuit was brought by a Michigan man who claims that he was molested by a Catholic priest when he was a minor. The Michigan Supreme Court heard oral arguments from attorneys representing the plaintiff and defendant on April 16. The timeline of events The man alleges that he was molested by the priest at a juvenile detention facility in 1999. He was 16 years ..read more

In just the past few weeks, there has been a lot of action and news about clergy sex crimes and cover-ups in Louisiana, especially in the New Orleans Archdiocese.  Here’s what’s happening in the Pelican State: The state’s largest Catholic jurisdiction – the New Orleans Archdiocese – is in bankruptcy. That process has become the second-costliest and third-oldest of all the 40-odd Catholic bankruptcy cases. New Orleans archdiocese is target of child sex-trafficking inquiry  The New Orleans archdiocesan headquarters was raided ..read more

Massage therapy can be an excellent way to unwind and relieve muscle tension. But there are instances where a touch from your massage therapist may leave you feeling off and uncomfortable. What constitutes inappropriate touching during a massage? A massage therapist should only touch areas of your body related to your treatment plan. This typically excludes your private area, breasts and buttocks. A massage should never feel sexual in nature, and you must watch out for these actions: The therapist focuses on erogenous zones like private areas such as your breasts (for females) and inner thighs ..read more

When someone opens up and shares that they have been sexually abused, how you respond is extremely important both for the healing of that child and for the process of investigating and uncovering the truth. There are certainly some excellent online resources that give guidance in this sensitive area. We at Horowitz Law, however, want to approach this from the opposite angle: What should you NEVER say to an abuse victim? For starters, here are the three words we believe you should avoid saying, probably ever but at least early on, to a survivor: “Why didn’t you. . .” Th ..read more

Port Charlotte priest was recently arrested in Florida after being placed on administrative leave one year ago with the Diocese of Venice. Father Leo Patrick Riley, 68, worked in at least 16 parishes in his home Diocese in Dubuque, Iowa, and in 2002, when predator priests began to be under great scrutiny, he moved to Florida and later began working in the Venice diocese. Floridians might have learned this much sooner, but Venice Bishop Frank Dewane is one of several US bishops who refuse to disclose the names of the child molesting clerics in h ..read more

Sexual assault is a traumatic experience that affects millions of people. Despite the high rate of sexual assault, many survivors do not receive the justice they deserve. However, every survivor of sexual assault deserves their day in court, where they can receive the validation, support, and justice they need to heal and move forward. Because you have suffered enough. • Because you deserve to be happier. • Because “nothing ventured, nothing gained.” • Because you might feel OK now but differently later. • Because you may later have unforeseen medical issues. • Because you might need some ther ..read more

It’s finally spring, the time of year when most state legislatures are in session, debating new laws, adopting some, and rejecting others. And just as regularly as the grass turns green and the flowers bloom, lobbyists for well-heeled wrongdoers work to block bills that would let crime victims expose wrongdoers. This is especially true when the wrongdoers are institutions, and the wrongdoing is child sexual abuse. Desperate to cover up their cover-ups, these wrongdoers and their highly paid lobbyists use sophisticated tricks. These tricks are designed to persuade elect ..read more

The clergy sex abuse crisis has continued to grow in significance in Florida over the past several decades. Many victims of sexual abuse have been reluctant to come forward and take steps against members of the clergy. There are many valid reasons for this reticence. But victims need to know that the law is on their side and will help them out in any way possible. What are victims of clergy sex abuse like? Victims of clergy sex abuse come from all ages, sexes, and socioeconomic levels. There have been victims from clergy of multiple denominations. Stories go back decades and are global in scop ..read more

On April 8, 2024, the Florida Department of Health issued an Emergency Order restricting the license of 40-year-old massage therapist Jason Yoho following an accusation of sexual assault against a patient. Yoho has been a licensed massage therapist in the state of Florida since 2018.  As a result of the Emergency Order, Yoho is immediately prohibited from practicing massage therapy on female clients. According to the Order, a 27-year-old female patient presented for a massage on January 4, 2024, at J Sterling’s Wellness Massage in Orlando, Florida, where Yoho is employed. Yoho allegedly r ..read more

On April 8th, 2024, Miami-Dade police arrested 50-year-old Martin Zaretsky, an IT employee at Bob Graham K-8 Educational Center in Miami Lakes. Zaretsky was booked into the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center on seven counts of lewd and lascivious molestation of a child and seven counts of offenses against students by an authority figure. According to media reports, students had complained about Zaretsky’s behavior as early as 2014. Zaretsky was accused of trying to engage in a sexual relationship with several female students.  He would reportedly befriend female students, includin ..read more