Child protection advocate Kathryn Robb discusses the sanctioning of attorney Richard Trahant for allegedly violating a protective order in the Archdiocese of New Orleans bankruptcy case, examining the tension between litigation confidentiality rules and child safety in institutional sexual abuse cases. Ms. Robb argues that broadly interpreted protective orders in such cases can function as instruments of institutional secrecy that endanger children, and she calls for narrowly tailored exceptions that prioritize child safety and align with mandatory reporting policies.
Child protection advocate Kathryn Robb discusses how the civil legal system’s procedural requirements often inflict secondary trauma on survivors of childhood sexual abuse while shielding defendants and institutions. Ms. Robb argues that the law must balance due process for defendants with “due care” for victims by dismantling structural barriers—such as restrictive statutes of limitations and bankruptcy maneuvers—that prioritize institutional protection over accountability and child safety.
Child protection advocate Kathryn Robb discusses how procedural mechanisms like redaction in legal processes can simultaneously fail to protect victims while shielding perpetrators, using the Epstein case as a primary example. Ms. Robb argues that when process becomes detached from moral responsibility, it creates a “double-edged sword” that both exposes vulnerable victims and conceals wrongdoing by the powerful, ultimately perpetuating harm to survivors of sexual abuse.
Child protection advocate Kathryn Robb reflects on the moral and ethical demands Christmas places on American Christians, particularly in how its message of compassion, humility, and dignity applies to society’s treatment of the sick, migrants, political discourse, and children. Ms. Robb argues that truly honoring the spirit of Christ’s teachings requires rejecting cruelty and indifference and embracing a deeper, character-driven commitment to kindness and justice beyond political or religious affiliation.
Child protection advocate Kathryn Robb urges King Charles III to use his moral authority to call out political leaders—particularly in the United States—for their failure to prioritize justice and transparency over power and self-preservation. Ms. Robb commends King Charles for previously demonstrating principled leadership and implores him to publicly advocate for the release of sealed files related to sexual abuse, arguing that moral courage from influential figures is vital for protecting children and confronting systemic cover-ups.
Kathryn Robb, National Director of the Children’s Justice Campaign at Enough Abuse, addresses how four legal mechanisms—statutes of limitations, charitable immunity, non-disclosure agreements, and bankruptcy laws—serve to shield powerful institutions from accountability in cases of child sexual abuse, often silencing survivors and obstructing justice. Ms. Robb argues that these outdated legal protections perpetuate secrecy and impunity, and she calls for urgent legal reforms to dismantle these barriers and prioritize justice for survivors.
Kathryn Robb, National Director of the Children’s Justice Campaign at Enough Abuse, examines how the media and political frenzy over Jeffrey Epstein’s client list has overshadowed the broader epidemic of institutional child sexual abuse in America, from the Catholic Church to the Boy Scouts to USA Gymnastics. Ms. Robb argues that instead of chasing political spectacle and conspiracy theories, lawmakers must implement concrete reforms—including ending statutes of limitations, banning NDAs in abuse cases, mandating institutional transparency, and funding prevention programs—to address what is a widespread public health emergency affecting one in four girls and one in thirteen boys.
Kathryn Robb, National Director of the Children’s Justice Campaign at Enough Abuse, discusses Vice President Kamala Harris’s unusual mention of child sexual abuse during her Democratic National Convention speech and its broader implications for addressing this issue in America. Ms. Robb argues that while highlighting the problem is important, real change requires comprehensive action at all levels of society, including passing protective laws, implementing stricter policies in schools and youth organizations, and establishing federal initiatives to combat child sexual abuse and exploitation.
Kathryn Robb, executive director of Child USAdvocacy, argues that the attendance of Louisiana Supreme Court Justices at the Red Mass, a religious event seeking divine guidance in decision-making, presents a conflict of interest and blurs the lines between church and state, especially in light of pending cases involving the Church. Ms. Robb highlights the historical and symbolic significance of the color red, used in the Red Mass, as a universal signal for danger and warning, suggesting that this tradition, though time-worn, compromises the integrity of the judiciary and the separation of powers in government.
Kathryn Robb, executive director of CHILD USAdvocacy, critically observes that Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code has been misused by entities like Purdue Pharma, Boy Scouts of America, and the Catholic Church to shield themselves from liability, particularly in cases involving the opioid epidemic and child sexual abuse. Ms. Robb calls for Congress and the U.S. Supreme Court to take immediate action to rectify these abuses, with the recent delay in the Purdue Pharma settlement presenting an opportunity for Congress to pass legislative amendments that serve justice and protect victims.
Kathryn Robb, executive director of CHILD USAdvocacy, praises Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson for her poise and grace during her Supreme Court confirmation hearing and points out the hypocrisy of Senators Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley, who sacrificed the true problem of child sexual abuse and child pornography and sharpen the issue for their own devices. Ms. Robb points out that their states—Texas and Missouri, respectively—have abysmal records when it comes to protecting children and calls upon the senators to focus instead on introducing legislation that offers real protection for children and young athletes, such as zero tolerance statute of limitations reform, Chapter 11 bankruptcy reform, and Title IX reform.
Kathryn Robb, executive director of CHILD USAdvocacy, explains how and why child sexual abuse is more insidious and long-lasting than “typical” civil wrongs recognized by law. Robb points out that while survivors of child sexual abuse may lack the physical injuries that the law and jurors often look for, they carry deeper wounds that affect their entire bodies and minds well into adulthood.
Kathryn Robb, executive director of CHILD USAdvocacy and survivor of child sexual abuse, praises gymnast Simone Biles for setting a stellar example of courage and self-care. Robb points out that as a result of Biles’s actions, USA Gymnastics may have lost a team gold medal, but more importantly, future young elite athletes and children worldwide observed the actions of a hero.
Kathryn Robb, executive director of CHILD USAdvocacy, describes how the COVID-19 pandemic uniquely endangers children who are being sexually abused by people close to them. Robb describes ways in which teachers, coaches, and other adult figures in children’s lives must do to ensure the safety of children in this time when schools and other safe spaces are shut down.
Kathryn Robb, executive director of CHILD USAdvocacy, comments on a public-health crisis that is getting relatively less attention right now: the scourge of child sex abuse. To address this crisis, Robb calls for greater public awareness, stronger laws protecting children, and legislative action
Marci A. Hamilton, professor at the University of Pennsylvania and CEO of CHILD USA, and Kathryn Robb, executive director of CHILD USAdvocacy, describe the latest trick by Catholic bishops in Maryland to successfully lobby for a statute of repose to be included in a bill, undermining its ability to provide meaningful justice to abuse victims. Hamilton and Robb call upon legislators to stop cooperating with Catholic bishops, as doing so leads only to continued secrecy, suffering, and pedophile empowerment.