Last week, the Diocese of Camden, New Jersey, agreed to pay $87.5 million to about 300 plaintiffs who brought forward sexual abuse allegations against its clergy members. As a part of the settlement, victims are still eligible to bring civil lawsuits against individual parishes and schools.

If the toll of abuse on victims and their families doesn’t convince church leaders about the severity of the problem, then the magnitude of this payout should. It is among the largest ever paid by the Catholic Church in the United States and it underscores this reality: The public’s patience has run out with churches that either don’t take steps to prevent abuse or look the other way when allegations arise—or even worse, do both.

What is your church doing to prevent abuse?

Here are a few resources to help guide you in the right direction:

• Implement attorney Richard Hammar’s 14-point plan for minimizing the risk of abuse in churches. This article has been unlocked for you until May 3.
• Go deeper with prevention training by implementing Hammar’s Reducing the Risk program.
• Explore this collection of articles and resources to learn how to respond to allegations of abuse and the legal requirements related to reporting and screening.

In addition, unlock or preview Hammar’s analysis on a federal court case in Illinois, which emphasizes the importance of conducting criminal background checks on staff and volunteers who will work with children and youth.