HONOLULU (HI)
Hawaii News Now KHNL / KGMB
April 24, 2020
By Rick Daysog
At least 100 come forward with new sex abuse allegations as filing deadline ends
At least 100 former students, medical patients and church members have come forward with new allegations that they were sexually abused years ago.
Many are victims of known sex offenders — pedophile priests, doctors and teachers.
But at least five ex-Punahou girls basketball players — including MMA champ Ilima-Lei MacFarlane and former University of Hawaii women’s basketball standout Shawna-Lei Kuehu — are raising new sex abuse allegations against their former coach Dwayne Yuen.
Attorneys said the lawsuits are just the tip of the iceberg.
“I know (that) for a fact, because I’ve talked to people who are still out there and are still undecided about coming forward,” said attorney Randall Rosenberg.
A large number of the suits are against the Catholic Church, which is paying out millions to settle prior cases.
“Some of the conduct is so reprehensible that you wouldn’t believe someone of the clergy would do it. But unfortunately, we’ve seen it over and over again,” said attorney Mark Gallagher who represents dozens of victims.
Bishop Larry Silva acknowledged the lawsuits at a recent Sunday mass.cannot tell you how it turns my stomach to read of the abuse these people have suffered, and not only that, but how their faith was damaged,” said Silva.
Lawyers said that many of these new cases will go to mediation and not to a courtroom because the accused priest, teacher or doctor is a known offender.
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