Child Sex Abuse Claim Settled by Santa Monica for $122.5 Million
The City of Santa Monica, California, has agreed to settle a child sex abuse claim. The claim was brought against a former city employee and also named the City of Santa Monica. The lawsuit was brought on behalf of 124 people who alleged that they were sexually abused as children by the former employee. Previously, 105 individuals filed and were paid $107.3 million by the city of Santa Monica. The settlement was approved by the Santa Monica Council, making claims totaling $230 million. The claims all allege that a former Santa Monica city employee sexually abused children while participating in the Police Activities League.
Victims of child sexual abuse who would like assistance taking legal action can call the California child sex abuse attorney at Beck Law P.C. today.
Police Activities League
The accused former Santa Monica employee, Eric Uller, volunteered with the Police Activities League. The Police Activities League (PAL) is a non-profit partnership operated by the City of Santa Monica. PAL offers programs for youths ages 6 through 17 who live in or attend school in Santa Monica. The programs are designed to provide educational support, help prepare children for college, fitness training and leadership skills, as well as improve communication with law enforcement. Eric Uller worked with children at PAL starting in the 1980s.
City Officials Allegedly Knew of the Abuse
An attorney representing one of the victims of child sexual abuse at the hands of Eric Uller gave a press conference regarding the claim and settlement. According to the attorney, Uller groomed young children during the years he spent at PAL. Uller spent time with kids, taking them to sporting events, giving them money and food, and buying them gifts. The attorney stated that Santa Monica city officials knew about the abuse by Uller in the 1990s but did nothing about it.
Representatives for Santa Monica stated that the current officials were not in office then. Since then, new procedures have been implemented for screening volunteers for the PAL program. In addition, Santa Monica has enacted a citywide code of conduct and put a child protective committee into place. The alleged abuser, Uller, committed suicide in 2018 after having been charged with various counts of molestation.
Child Sex Abuse Claim – The Toll on Victims of Child Sexual Abuse
Although the victims of the alleged child abuse by Uller have obtained a settlement, it doesn’t mean their saga is over. Unfortunately, victims of child sexual abuse often have many years of emotional stress ahead. One of Uller’s victims, who wished to remain anonymous, stated that the settlement was only a start to the healing process. He was abused from the ages of 12 through 14 and is now an adult. It took him years to tell people about the abuse. He still has nightmares and, at times, has lost his will to live. Sadly, those who are victims of child sexual abuse often suffer from similar issues, even many years after the abuse ended.
Many cases of child sexual abuse result in settlements outside of court. In this instance, the Santa Monica Council approved payment of the settlement before it got to court. The mayor of Santa Monica, Gleam Davis, stated that this was a sad chapter in the history of the city and said their hearts go out to all the victims. Unfortunately, incidents like this one still happen. If you or your child are victims of child sexual abuse, do not hesitate to seek legal guidance. Whether the child abuse happened in San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego or elsewhere in California, contact a California child sex abuse attorney at Beck Law at (707) 576-7175 to discuss your legal options.
