St. Mary’s Home for Boys Sexual Abuse Lawsuits

Seek Justice and Compensation for Sexual Abuse at Oregon Youth Correctional Facilities

St. Mary’s Home for Boys sexual abuse rates are some of the highest in the nation, with dozens of young residents assaulted while in custody. Injury Lawyer Team is dedicated to getting justice for survivors of sexual abuse in institutions, including at residential treatment facilities, prisons, and juvenile detention centers. Contact us today for a free, confidential, and no-obligation consultation.

Lawsuits Alleging Sexual Abuse at St. Mary’s Home for Boys

St. Mary’s Home for Boys is a group home for at-risk youth located near Portland. The facility claims that it provides a place for clients to develop valuable skills, reintegrate into society, and achieve emotional security. While originally founded by the Catholic Church, it is now non-denominational and does not employ clergy members.

However, families, guardians, and survivors have accused the facility of failing to ensure the safety of boys in their care.

According to a federal report, 11.1% of residents at the facility in Beaverton, Oregon, reported sexual abuse, which is much higher than the national average of 7.1%. While other Oregon facilities, such as the Albany correctional facility for girls and women, had a higher rate, this rate may be significantly lower than the true number.

Many male survivors are reluctant to disclose what happened to them due to stigma and shame, so the true number of survivors is difficult to determine.

In 2016, a $5.1 million lawsuit was filed against the school for acts committed by Spencer Biddle Dick, a former counselor and mentor, in the 1980s. The suit alleges that Biddle Dick was at least 20 years older than the plaintiff and abused his position of trust, beginning when the victim was just 12. The reported abuse lasted for approximately three years.

Biddle Dick took the victim off-site several times, including on trips to Washington and California. During this time, he engaged in multiple forms of sexual abuse, including oral sex, fondling, and penetration.

According to the suit, the facility knew that Biddle Dick was spending significant unsupervised time with the plaintiff but refused to intervene, despite the fact that this time was “sexually motivated, unwholesome, and risky.”

When contacted for comment in 2016, Biddle Dick refused to respond. The treatment center also did not address the case. Biddle Dick died in Portland in 2020 without ever standing trial for his abuse.

Who Can Be Held Liable for Sexual Abuse at a Local School or Residential Treatment Center?

Our office will carefully investigate your claim to bring suits against all parties involved.

• Individual Perpetrator: The perpetrator is typically the first party in a lawsuit. If the claim is brought after the perpetrator’s death, then it can proceed against the additional defendants.
• Other Staff Members: Residential treatment center employees are considered mandated reporters in Oregon. If they refuse to report their concerns, they can be liable. Supervisors and administrators can be held liable for failing to properly supervise their employees or volunteers, like Spencer Biddle Dick.
• Saint Mary’s Home for Boys: In addition to individual perpetrators, the facility itself can be held accountable for failing to offer a secure environment for the children in its care. These claims can include negligent hiring, failure to conduct background checks, inadequate training, or inadequate supervision.
• State of Oregon: According to the facility, it receives approximately 70% of its funding from the state. The government should have a process in place to ensure the centers it funds are protecting children from predators. However, lawsuits against government entities may have stricter statutes of limitations and restrictions on what types of cases can be brought against them.

What Damages Can Victims Recover?

Victims may be able to pursue both economic and non-economic damages for juvenile residential treatment center sexual abuse lawsuits.

Economic damages cover your financial losses, such as:

• Medical bills
• Lost wages
• Loss of future income
• Mental health treatment

Non-economic damages consider how your life has been disrupted by the abuse, including:

• Physical pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Loss of normal life

In suits that go to trial, the jury may award punitive damages. These are meant to punish the defendants and force them to change their procedures. As non-compensatory damages, they are treated differently from other damages and may be subject to different rules.

How Long Do Child Sex Abuse Survivors Have to Take Legal Action in Oregon?

In Oregon, child survivors have an extended time limit to file a sexual abuse lawsuit. Under current statutes, a child victim has until their 40th birthday, or until five years after they discovered that they were abused, whichever is later (ORS 12.117).

How Injury Lawyer Team Can Help

These cases are often difficult because victims may not become aware of their injuries until years after the abuse, or they may not feel safe disclosing the assault to anyone.

As one of America’s Top 100 High Stakes Litigators, we are committed to empowering our clients, offering them a sense of well-being and mutual trust. Everything you share with our staff is protected by attorney-client privilege, and we can also file your case under a pseudonym, such as John Doe.

We begin every case by understanding your needs and directing you to resources for healing and recovery. Next, we thoroughly investigate every element of the incident, including who may have known about the abuse but refused to intervene. This includes gathering records from St. Mary’s, interviewing witnesses, and consulting with experts in childhood trauma.

The Super Lawyers at Injury Lawyer Team will then start negotiations with the defendants. We have secured over $450 million in successful verdicts and settlements across 5,000 cases, a significant track record of success.

While many claims will settle before going to trial, we are Distinguished Justice Advocates who are nationally recognized for winning the most challenging cases. Our legal advocates will share information with the other parties, file motions, and present your story to a judge and jury.

Our services for sexual abuse lawsuits are provided on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay nothing unless we win. Contact us today to schedule a free and confidential case review.

All content undergoes thorough legal review by experienced attorneys, including Jonathan Rosenfeld. With 25 years of experience in personal injury law and over 100 years of combined legal expertise within our team, we ensure that every article is legally accurate, compliant, and reflects current legal standards.