WE ARE PAVING THE WAY FOR AN ABUSE-FREE CHURCH

Please help us support HB 1211!

This is a NEW 2025 Washington State Bill that requires members of the clergy to provide a report to law enforcement or the Department of Children, Youth, and Families when they have reasonable cause to believe that a child has suffered abuse or neglect.

Clicking on STOP allows you to access a form to add your name to a list of over 250 supporters in Washington State, which will be sent to our legislators.

List of Organizations that have endorsed HB 1211

For more information about this bill and the reasons it should be passed into law, click LEARN MORE.

STOP CLERGY SECRECY!

On May 9, 2024, Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced that his office is seeking a court order to obtain documents pertaining to clergy sexual abuse and its institutional concealment from the Archdiocese of Seattle. Ferguson confirmed what members of the Catholic Accountability Project (CAP) had announced at a press conference in February: his office had sent subpoenas to Archbishop Étienne of Seattle, Bishop Tyson of Yakima, and Bishop Daly of Spokane last summer.

The Attorney General shared that his office sent another round of subpoenas in the spring and that the Catholic dioceses of Washington state had all refused to comply. The dioceses, led by Archbishop Étienne of Seattle refused to share any information that is not already publicly available.

THE CHURCH IS UNDER INVESTIGATION.

who we are

CAP is a Washington State-based initiative of Ending Clergy Abuse, a global human rights organization dedicated to ending the Church’s structural mechanisms that enable abuse. We fight for survivors because we love our Church, and we are committed to cultivating an environment within the Catholic Church prioritizing safety, well-being, and dignity for all.

In the news

Featured
Catholic clergy abuse survivors call for alleged Washington abuse documents to be released
Catholic clergy abuse survivors call for alleged Washington abuse documents to be released

As a survivor, Mary [Dispenza] said she knows the fear that comes with coming forward. "I want to assure you that we all were afraid at one time to speak out, to take back our power. I can also assure you that in doing that, there's a sense of power that you regain."

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WA Attorney General hits roadblock in statewide clergy sex abuse investigation
WA Attorney General hits roadblock in statewide clergy sex abuse investigation

“They jumped into action, “ said Sarah Pearson, another founding member of the Catholic Accountability Project. “They provided over 7,500 pages of whistleblower documents and evidence to our organization.”

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Judge rules Seattle Archdiocese does not have to turn over records to WA Attorney General's Office
Judge rules Seattle Archdiocese does not have to turn over records to WA Attorney General's Office

“What I heard in there was wildly inconsistent with what I understand Catholicism to be. What I saw in there was shameful,” said Ferguson. “We can go all the way to the state supreme court.”

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PRESS RELEASES

Featured
Clergy abuse survivors to hold press conference discussing Diocese of Yakima whistleblower documents

Members of CAP will encourage survivors of the Diocese of Yakima to report their abuse to the attorney general’s office and share any information that may assist Attorney General Ferguson in his investigation.

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Survivors and advocates: Judge Scott’s decision to deny AG subpoenas gives Church a free pass

Survivors are urged to continue calling AG’s clergy abuse hotline at 833-952-6277

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Survivors and advocates to support AG Ferguson’s petition for abuse-related documents in court today

Seattle-based clergy abuse survivor Mary Dispenza said of the abuse-related documents being held by the archdiocese, “They are our stories. They need to be freed and released. And the archbishop has the power to do that. He’s the one who has the key to the locked vault.” 

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fighting for survivors

The Catholic Accountability Project (CAP) is dedicated to advocating for justice for victims of clergy sexual abuse and holding perpetrators and those who enabled them responsible for their actions.