Rhode Island School Sex Abuse Lawsuit
Sexual abuse by teachers, staff, volunteers, or even other students can occur when schools fail to protect children. In Rhode Island, survivors of school sex abuse and their families have legal rights and options for holding both the perpetrator and negligent institutions accountable.
Under Rhode Island’s new child sexual abuse lawsuit lookback window, claims that were previously time-barred have been revived. Thus, survivors of abuse that occurred at any time in the past can file lawsuits through June 30, 2028. Contact an experienced Rhode Island school sexual abuse attorney to better understand your options.
- Sexual abuse by staff in Rhode Island schools, especially private and religious institutions, has been prevalent for decades, and survivors are now coming forward to seek justice.
- Rhode Island’s new lookback window for child sexual abuse claims allows survivors to file lawsuits for abuse that occurred at any time until June 30, 2028.
- Helping Survivors can help you understand your legal rights and options after experiencing school sexual abuse, and may be able to connect you with an attorney for representation.
Allegations and Lawsuits Against Rhode Island Schools for Sexual Abuse
Several schools across Rhode Island have faced allegations of sexual abuse spanning decades. Some of the abuse was allegedly committed by clergy members at religious private schools. Meanwhile, other cases have alleged abuse at public schools, secular boarding schools, and private institutions. The following Rhode Island schools have been the subject of accusations or legal action regarding alleged abuse.
Bishop Hendricken High School
Multiple former staff members at Bishop Hendricken High School in Warwick, Rhode Island, have faced allegations or legal action related to sexual misconduct involving minors. Former assistant principal Timothy Sheldon pleaded no contest in 2005 to indecently soliciting a child, while former principal Brother John M. Walderman was arrested in 1986 after allegedly attempting to solicit a 17-year-old boy. Former Catholic priest Father Joseph Rocha, who served at the school from 1977 to 1982, was also accused of sexually assaulting a child at the school.
St. George’s School
In 2016, an investigation into St. George’s School, a private, Episcopal, coed boarding school in Middletown, revealed more than 50 alleged incidents of sexual abuse by six faculty members. The report came less than a year after an alumnus reported that former athletic trainer Al Gibbs had raped her at the school when she was 15.
One out of every five girls who were students at St. George’s between 1972 and 1979 reported sexual abuse by Gibbs, who was fired in 1980 and died in 1996. Nearly 30 alumni have entered settlement agreements with the school so far.
Portsmouth Abbey School
A former student at Portsmouth Abbey School sued the school and a former teacher, alleging that the teacher sexually abused her and that the school failed to protect her. The alleged abuse occurred between 2012 and 2014, when the victim was 15.
The lawsuit states that the coeducational Catholic boarding and day school failed to take any measures to investigate or end the misconduct and then covered it up to avoid a scandal. In 2017, Portsmouth Abbey released a report of decades of sexual abuse incidents by faculty between the 1950s and 1980s.
Pawtucket Learning Academy
In 2017, a girl who was raped at age 13 by another student at Pawtucket Learning Academy, a public special education facility, sued the Pawtucket School Department, the city, and several officials for alleged civil rights violations under Title IX. The offending student was sentenced to prison.
Moses Brown School
In 2020, an investigation was launched into five former employees at the Moses Brown School, an independent Quaker institution, for alleged sexual misconduct with students in the 1960s. An alumnus came forward with the claim. The investigation found reports of sexual misconduct dating from the 1950s through the early 2000s. Moses Brown no longer has a boarding program.
Rocky Hill School
In 2016, three former students of Rocky Hill School came forward with allegations that a faculty member at the private college prep school had abused them in the 1970s. The man worked as a faculty member and an administrator from the 1970s until 2013.
Table of Contents
- Allegations and Lawsuits Against Rhode Island Schools for Sexual Abuse
- Who May Be Legally Responsible in a Rhode Island School Sex Abuse Lawsuit?
- Settlements & Compensation for School Sexual Abuse in Rhode Island
- Legal Rights and Options for Survivors of School Sex Abuse in Rhode Island
- Rhode Island Statute of Limitations for School Sexual Abuse Lawsuits
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Who May Be Legally Responsible in a Rhode Island School Sex Abuse Lawsuit?
In a Rhode Island school sexual abuse lawsuit, multiple parties may be liable, even if the abuse was only perpetrated by a single individual. The school itself, its administrators, the school district, and others can be liable if they knew or should have known about the abuse and failed to report it or otherwise protect the victim.
Settlements & Compensation for School Sexual Abuse in Rhode Island
In a civil lawsuit, survivors of school sexual abuse in Rhode Island can typically pursue compensation for their economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages cover financial losses like medical bills, therapy costs, lost income, and reduced earning capacity that have resulted from the abuse. Non-economic damages compensate victims for harder-to-quantify losses like pain, suffering, emotional distress, PTSD, and more.
Legal Rights and Options for Survivors of School Sex Abuse in Rhode Island
Report Sexual Abuse to the School or District
To report sexual abuse at a school in Rhode Island, find the school in the state’s directories of public and private schools, then choose your school’s phone number to contact it and report the abuse.
Report to the Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth & Families
Both educators and other individuals can report child abuse in Rhode Island to the Department of Children, Youth & Families, or DCYF, via their 24/7 Hotline at 1-800-RI-CHILD.
In 2016, Rhode Island enacted a law requiring any person who reasonably knows or suspects that a child has been the victim of sexual abuse by an employee of an educational program to report it to the DCYF within 24 hours. Failure to report child sexual abuse can result in criminal and civil liability for schools and school employees.
Report to Rhode Island Law Enforcement
Though it isn’t required to report sexual abuse to law enforcement before filing a lawsuit in Rhode Island, reporting to the local police department or the Rhode Island State Police can create a helpful paper trail and potentially trigger a criminal investigation. Victims of clergy abuse can contact the Rhode Island State Police at 401-764-0142 to report abuse.
File a Civil Lawsuit in Rhode Island
An experienced school sex abuse attorney can help survivors preserve legal claims, investigate institutional negligence, and pursue compensation via a civil lawsuit.
Rhode Island Statute of Limitations for School Sexual Abuse Lawsuits
In June 2026, Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee signed legislation expanding the state’s statute of limitations rules for childhood sexual abuse claims by opening a two-year revival window that began on July 1, 2026, and ends June 30, 2028. During that period, eligible victims can file civil lawsuits against the individuals, institutions, organizations, or other parties responsible for alleged childhood sexual abuse, regardless of how long ago the incident occurred.
If you or a loved one endured school sex abuse in Rhode Island, even if it was years ago, speak with an attorney as soon as possible to review your legal options before the lookback window expires. Helping Survivors can connect you with our legal partners for a free consultation to learn more about your legal rights and options.
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