News, 5/7/25

[Angeline Binick]

I.     GLOBAL NEWS

II.    POLICY / LEGISLATION

III.   FORENSIC EVIDENCE

IV.   SEX TRAFFICKING

V.     ADVOCACY

VI.   INCARCERATION

VII.  CLERGY ABUSE

VIII. SEXUAL ABUSE BY PROFESSIONALS

IX.    ONLINE ABUSE

X.     ARTS & CULTURE

XI.    CASE STORIES

 

 

 

 

 

GLOBAL NEWS

Canada: Lawyer questions woman in world juniors sex assault trial on inconsistencies in statements

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/london/livestory/lawyer-questions-woman-in-world-juniors-sex-assault-trial-on-inconsistencies-in-statements-9.6751073

POLICY / LEGISLATION

How a post #MeToo law opened the floodgates for allegations against Sean 'Diddy' Combs

(Trigger warning)

https://www.npr.org/2025/05/07/g-s1-64329/sean-diddy-combs-cassie-lookback-window-law

Efforts renew in Pa. to allow retroactive lawsuits against accused child predators, institutions

https://www.ncnewsonline.com/news/local_news/efforts-renew-in-pa-to-allow-retroactive-lawsuits-against-accused-child-predators-institutions/article_26a0462c-8bf1-5df2-9e31-8246c1397552.html

Catholic Church To Excommunicate Priests for Following New Washington State Law

https://www.newsweek.com/catholic-church-excommunicate-priests-following-new-us-state-law-2069039

FORENSIC EVIDENCE

Arizona: Phoenix Police says it will implement state rape kit tracking program

https://www.azfamily.com/2025/05/07/phoenix-police-says-it-will-implement-state-rape-kit-tracking-program/

Texas: Backlog of nearly 900 unprocessed rape kits cleared by Fort Worth police

https://www.nbcdfw.com/investigations/fort-worth-police-clear-rape-kit-backlog/3834438/

SEX TRAFFICKING

States push to combat human trafficking amid federal funding cuts

https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/2025/05/07/states-push-to-combat-human-trafficking-amid-federal-funding-cuts/

Human trafficking report identifies shortcomings in Connecticut’s response system

https://ctmirror.org/2025/05/06/ct-human-trafficking-response-system-report/

Who is Casandra Ventura, R&B singer at center of ‘Diddy’ trial?

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/who-is-casandra-ventura-rb-singer-center-diddy-trial-2025-05-07/

ADVOCACY

Federal grant cuts impacting programs & services helping victims of sexual abuse, Arkansan speaks out

https://www.fox16.com/news/state-news/federal-grant-cuts-impacting-programs-services-helping-victims-of-sexual-abuse-arkansan-speaks-out/amp/

INCARCERATION

New audit report details allegations of failures within Maryland's Department of Juvenile Services

https://www.cbsnews.com/baltimore/news/new-audit-report-details-allegations-on-failures-within-marylands-department-of-juvenile-services/

10 more men sue over alleged sexual abuse by ‘Dr. Cold Fingers’ at Oregon youth prison

(Trigger warning)

https://www.oregonlive.com/crime/2025/05/10-more-men-sue-over-alleged-sexual-abuse-by-dr-cold-fingers-at-oregon-youth-prison.html

CLERGY ABUSE

Japanese cardinal denies knowledge of sexual abuse case

https://cruxnow.com/church-in-asia/2025/05/japanese-cardinal-denies-knowledge-of-sexual-abuse-case

SEXUAL ABUSE BY PROFESSIONALS

Columbia, NY-Presbyterian payouts in doctor sex abuse case now top $1 billion

https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/columbia-ny-presbyterian-gynecologist-sex-abuse-robert-hadden-settlement-civil-lawsuit/6253027/

ONLINE ABUSE

Finding Mr. DeepFakes

CBC News’s visual investigations team exposes the Canadian who played a key role in MrDeepFakes[.]com, the world’s most notorious website for explicit AI-generated videos.

(Video)

https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/video/9.6750905

ARTS & CULTURE

Fox Chase Boy: Standup Comedy Confronts Trauma in a Catholic Community

(Video)

https://www.theguardian.com/world/ng-interactive/2025/may/07/fox-chase-boy-stand-up-comedy-confronts-trauma-in-a-catholic-community

CASE STORIES

Four housekeepers accuse Smokey Robinson of sexual assault

https://www.reuters.com/legal/four-housekeepers-accuse-smokey-robinson-sexual-assault-2025-05-06/

Michael Pitt arrested for alleged sexual assault and attack on ex-girlfriend

https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2025/may/07/michael-pitt-arrest-sexual-assault-domestic-violence