HHS docs show thousands of alleged incidents of sexual abuse against unaccompanied minors in custody

The Department of Health and Human Services received more than 4,500 complaints of sexual abuse against unaccompanied minors from 2014-2018, according to internal agency documents released Tuesday by Florida Democratic Rep. Ted Deutch.

In addition,1,303 complaints were reported to the Justice Department during that same time frame, according to the documents.

He said that the documents "demonstrate over the past three years, there have been 154 staff on unaccompanied minor, let me repeat that, staff on unaccompanied minor allegations of sexual assault." read more »

Top Vatican official's sex abuse conviction latest blow to embattled Roman Catholic Church

The revelation that a Catholic cardinal in Australia was convicted of molesting boys marks the most senior member of the church to face prison time for sexual abuse.

The charges against Cardinal George Pell -- who was not only a major figure in Australia's Catholic church but also a close adviser to Pope Francis -- were not publicly released until Tuesday because of a law in the country's court system.

In December, he was convicted of molesting two choir boys in the 1990s, but under Australian law, all details of that trial -- including the fact that the trial was held at all -- were suppressed because Pell was set to be subject to a second trial.

But the suppression order was lifted after additional charges relating to allegations that Pell had also abused boys in his hometown of Ballarat in the 1970s were dropped, prompting details of the first trial and conviction to be made public for the first time. read more »

Measures aimed at helping victims of sexual assault ‘gaining momentum’ in Olympia thanks to #MeToo movement

The #MeToo movement has energized the state Legislature on issues related to sexual assault, even as it has struggled to handle allegations against its own members. But this session has also been a test of just how much lawmakers' positions have shifted.

Washington lawmakers say the momentum of the #MeToo movement has made it likely they’ll pass a number of bills long pushed by sexual-assault survivors and their advocates. read more »

Emma Thompson Explains Why She Refused to Work With Alleged Sexual Harasser And Former Pixar Animator

After Pixar co-founder and animator John Lasseter left the company following allegations of sexual harassment, it wasn’t long until he got a new gig at Skydance Media. But the hiring didn’t sit right with Emma Thompson, who recently left the “large-scale” animated film Luck produced by Skydance because of Lasseter’s presence at the company. read more »