ALBANY (NY)
WNYT-TV [Albany NY]
September 10, 2025
By WNYT
Victims of clergy sex abuse got their chance to testify against the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany on Wednesday.
Hearings are being held in bankruptcy court after the diocese filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after facing more than 400 lawsuits regarding clergy sex abuse. They allege decades of abuse and cover-ups from church officials.
The first person to testify, Jason Whitney, told NewsChannel 13 that the abuse started when he was 9 years old and continued for more than three years.
“I never actually thought I’d be here, but it feels good because there’s a stigma. Most men don’t want to come forward for things like this. There’s that worry that people are going to think down on them, but I’m good,” he said.
His attorney, Audrey Raphael, said she hopes that the court and church will listen and understand the impact of what happened to children like Jason when they were young.
A total of 40 survivors will testify over multiple days.