Priest Sex Abuse Victim Receives $1.9 Million Settlement Under California Child Victims Act

In 2019, a survivor of priest abuse settled his lawsuit against the Los Angeles Archdiocese. He received $1.9 million dollars. It was the first child sexual abuse settlement awarded after a new California law, Assembly Bill 218 (AB 218), came into effect. Known as the California Child Victims Act (CVA), AB 218 suspends the statute of limitations for all civil actions until January 1, 2023.

Altar Boy Sexually Abused by Father Lovell

Between 1982 and 1984, Richard Barrios served as an altar boy at San Gabriel Mission Church. During this time, Barrios suffered repeated sexual abuse by Father Lawrence Lovell, commonly referred to as Father Larry. Lovell began abusing Barrios when he was about 9 years old. The abuse continued until Lovell was transferred to the Diocese of Phoenix in 1984.

Barrios reported his abuse to Catholic Church officials as a teenager. He received six months of paid therapy to help him heal. Barrios later learned Lovell had abused other young boys at San Gabriel. He also found a redacted account of his own report to the church circulating online. By then, Barrios was too old to sue the Catholic Church for damages under California law. However, when the CVA went into effect on January 1, 2020, victims like Barrio received a second chance for legal justice.

How the California Child Victims Act Helps Sex Abuse Survivors Seek Legal Justice

The CVA created a three-year “look back” window. During this window, the legal deadline for civil actions of child sexual abuse is suspended. Thus, Barrios could now bring civil actions against Lovell and the Los Angeles Archdiocese. Only three weeks after CVA went into effect, Barrios settled his case against the Los Angeles Archdiocese for $1.9 million.

Under the previous California law, many survivors of child sexual abuse could only pursue civil legal action until the age of 26. However, the nature of these cases can make that time frame an obstacle for survivors.

The Healing Effect of Long-denied Justice

For many victims, the most important outcome of litigation is to see the abusers and their enablers take responsibility for the abuse. Victims often want accountability. They want acknowledgment that what happened to them should not have happened to anyone. Even today, it is not always clear if the Church is really focused on victims.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Barrios struggled with depression and bipolar disorder for years. After receiving the $1.9 million dollar settlement Barrios said, “he finally felt at peace and hoped other potential victims would come forward too.”