Portsmouth Abbey School sits on a 525-acre campus overlooking Narragansett Bay in Portsmouth, Rhode Island. Founded in 1926 by Benedictine monks of the English Benedictine Congregation under the direction of Father Hugh Diman, the school opened that September with 18 students. For generations, families trusted the monks who ran this institution with their children’s education, spiritual formation, and daily care. That trust was violated. If you or someone you love experienced sexual abuse at Portsmouth Abbey, you are not alone, and what happened was not your fault. Attorneys at Sommers Schwartz are here to help you understand your rights and your options under Rhode Island law.

Table of Contents

• What Happened at Portsmouth Abbey: Confirmed Abuse by Benedictine Monks
• How the Institution Enabled Abuse: Complaints That Were Ignored for Decades
• Rhode Island’s New Child Sexual Abuse Law (H-7200A / S-2616A) and What It Means for Portsmouth Abbey Survivors
• Who Can Be Held Accountable: The Order of Saint Benedict and School Administrators
• Why Survivors Wait and Why That Delay Does Not Disqualify Your Claim
• How Sommers Schwartz Can Help Portsmouth Abbey Survivors
• FAQs About Benedictine Monks and Portsmouth Abbey Sexual Abuse Claims in Rhode Island

What Happened at Portsmouth Abbey: Confirmed Abuse by Benedictine Monks

In August 2017, Portsmouth Abbey School publicly acknowledged “credible allegations” of sexual abuse by two former Benedictine monks associated with the institution, spanning from the 1950s to the 1980s. This acknowledgment came only after the school commissioned an independent investigation following the sudden resignation of its chancellor.

According to an investigation by Debevoise & Plimpton LLP of New York City, “credible allegations” were made about “sexual abuse by two former members of the Monastery: Father Bede Gorman and Father Geoffrey Chase ’48.” Father Bede Gorman served as a teacher, coach, athletic director, and dorm housemaster at the school throughout his career until his death in 1985. His role gave him direct, sustained access to students, including in residential settings where children were most vulnerable.

According to the school’s own letter, “the known instances of abuse by these men took place thirty-five to fifty-eight years ago; that is, between 1959 and the early 1980s.” The report also found complaints against the monks from the 1970s that were never referred to legal authorities. That failure to report is not a minor administrative lapse. It is the kind of institutional cover-up that allowed abuse to continue and that left survivors without any recourse for decades.

More recently, a sexual abuse case filed by an anonymous female victim in 2020 alleged that humanities teacher Michael Bowen Smith had groomed her from age 15 and engaged in sexual acts with her between 2012 and 2014. The case, Jane Doe v. Order of Saint Benedict, was ruled to be time-barred in 2024 and dismissed. That outcome illustrates exactly why Rhode Island’s new lookback window law matters so much for survivors.

The pattern at Portsmouth Abbey mirrors what Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha documented across the Diocese of Providence in March 2026: institutions that prioritized reputation over the safety of children, and supervisors who knew about abuse and chose silence. Survivors of that same institutional failure now have legal options they did not have before.

How the Institution Enabled Abuse: Complaints That Were Ignored for Decades

Institutions do not just enable abuse by employing abusers. They enable it by failing to act when complaints come in. At Portsmouth Abbey, the independent investigation confirmed that internal complaints existed years before the school disclosed anything publicly.

Debevoise also reviewed two previous incidents involving the sexual abuse of a minor by an adult, both of which occurred over 40 years ago. These matters were not reported to the school until decades later. In the first case, Portsmouth Abbey School extended aid to the victim, and the violator was removed from the school and prevented from further contact with children. While removal sounds like accountability, it is not. Removing an abuser quietly, without reporting to law enforcement, protects the institution, not the child.

The second incident involved a report of sexual abuse that had allegedly occurred in 1960 or 1961. The alleged perpetrator was deceased, and the allegation could not be confirmed or disproven. Decades of delay made investigation nearly impossible. That is precisely the harm caused when institutions stay silent instead of reporting abuse to the authorities who can investigate it properly.

The Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 report on the Diocese of Providence described a similar pattern across Catholic institutions in the state. The report documented how accused clergy were sent on retreats and sabbaticals rather than being reported to civil authorities, a practice that concealed abuse and protected the institution while leaving victims and their families entirely disregarded. Portsmouth Abbey operated outside the Diocese of Providence structure as a Benedictine monastery, but the pattern of institutional self-protection is one that survivors and their sexual abuse lawyer will recognize immediately when reviewing the facts of what happened here.

If you were abused at Portsmouth Abbey and the school or monastery knew, or should have known, about the risk you faced, that institutional failure is legally significant. It is the foundation of a civil claim, and it is exactly what Rhode Island’s new law was designed to address.

Rhode Island’s New Child Sexual Abuse Law (H-7200A / S-2616A) and What It Means for Portsmouth Abbey Survivors

Rhode Island’s new law amends the statute of limitations for claims of sexual abuse of a child and creates a two-year window for victims to bring otherwise time-barred claims against institutions and supervisors accused of enabling or covering up sexual abuse. The new law takes effect on July 1, 2026. Governor Dan McKee signed it on June 11, 2026.

The new law establishes a two-year civil “revival window” that opens from July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2028. During this 24-month period, survivors can file civil suits even if the statute of limitations on their claims had previously expired. For Portsmouth Abbey survivors, many of whom were abused decades ago and believed their time to seek justice had passed, this window changes everything.

Future claims must be filed by whichever date is later: either 35 years from the date of the abusive act or seven years from when the survivor first discovers or reasonably connects their adult injuries to the childhood abuse. The statute of limitations begins running when the survivor turns 18. These provisions apply to claims going forward. For survivors whose claims are already time-barred, the two-year revival window is the operative opportunity.

The new law specifically targets institutions and organizations such as churches, schools, youth programs, healthcare facilities and sports leagues, as well as supervisors. Portsmouth Abbey, as a school operated by a religious order, falls squarely within that scope. The Order of Saint Benedict and the school’s administrators who received complaints and failed to act can now be held accountable in civil court by survivors whose claims were previously dismissed on timing grounds alone.

This law was driven in part by a 2023 Rhode Island Supreme Court ruling that a prior 2019 lookback law applied only to individual perpetrators, not institutions. H-7200A / S-2616A closes that gap directly. If you filed a prior claim that was dismissed, or if you never filed because you believed it was too late, speaking with a sexual assault lawyer now is the most important step you can take.

Who Can Be Held Accountable: The Order of Saint Benedict and School Administrators

Civil liability for child sexual abuse in Rhode Island does not stop with the person who committed the abuse. Institutions and supervisors who knew about abuse, failed to report it, or created conditions that allowed it to happen can also be held accountable in a civil lawsuit.

At Portsmouth Abbey, the relevant parties include the Order of Saint Benedict, which owns and operates both the monastery and the school, as well as individual administrators who received complaints in the 1970s and chose not to refer them to law enforcement. The report found complaints against the monks from the 1970s that were never referred to legal authorities. That decision, made by people in positions of supervisory authority, is the kind of institutional failure that Rhode Island’s new law was written to reach.

The Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 report on the Diocese of Providence documented how diocesan leaders were “more concerned with keeping accused priests in ministry and minimizing scandal than with addressing their alleged crimes and preventing opportunities for further sexual abuse of children.” While Portsmouth Abbey operates under a separate Benedictine structure rather than directly under the Diocese of Providence, the legal principles governing institutional accountability apply regardless of which religious organization is involved.

Rhode Island law recognizes that children placed in the care of institutions are owed a duty of protection. When an institution breaches that duty by ignoring complaints, concealing abuse, or failing to report to authorities, it can face civil liability. A sexual assault attorney can evaluate the specific facts of your case and identify every party whose conduct contributed to your harm.

You do not need to have reported the abuse at the time it happened. You do not need to have a prior lawsuit on file. What matters now is whether your experience falls within the scope of the revival window and whether the institution’s conduct supports a civil claim.

Why Survivors Wait and Why That Delay Does Not Disqualify Your Claim

Survivors of childhood sexual abuse often wait years, or even decades, before coming forward. This is not weakness. It is a documented and well-understood response to trauma. Shame, fear, institutional pressure, and the psychological effects of abuse by a trusted authority figure all contribute to delayed disclosure. None of that delay is your fault, and none of it should cost you your right to justice.

The Rhode Island legislature recognized this reality when it passed H-7200A / S-2616A. The lookback window reflects a broader recognition that delayed disclosure is common in cases involving childhood sexual abuse. The law was specifically designed to account for the fact that many survivors could not have come forward sooner, whether because of trauma, because they did not understand what had happened to them, or because they did not know the institution had failed to protect them.

At Portsmouth Abbey, the boarding school environment added another layer of complexity. Students lived on campus, surrounded by monks and teachers who held enormous authority over their daily lives. The power imbalance between a child in a residential school and a monk who served as teacher, coach, and dorm housemaster made disclosure extraordinarily difficult. If you were abused in that environment and stayed silent for years, that silence says nothing about the validity of your claim.

Rhode Island law now gives you a defined window to act. Older survivors now in their 60s or 70s are being given a chance to sue. If your claim was previously dismissed as time-barred, or if you never filed because you assumed it was too late, the law has changed in your favor. The attorneys at Sommers Schwartz understand the courage it takes to come forward, and they are ready to listen without judgment.

How Sommers Schwartz Can Help Portsmouth Abbey Survivors

Sommers Schwartz is a multi-state law firm with attorneys who represent survivors of sexual abuse and sexual assault, including those whose abuse occurred in religious and private school settings. The firm understands that reaching out is one of the hardest steps a survivor can take, and every conversation begins with compassion and confidentiality.

If you were abused at Portsmouth Abbey School by a Benedictine monk or any other member of the school community, the attorneys at Sommers Schwartz can help you evaluate your options under Rhode Island’s new lookback window law. The revival window created by H-7200A / S-2616A runs from July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2028. That window is open now, but it will not remain open. Time matters.

The firm can assess whether your claim falls within the revival window, identify the institutions and supervisors whose conduct may have contributed to your harm, and pursue accountability on your behalf. Rhode Island also allows survivors to file civil claims anonymously, using John Doe or Jane Doe designations, which can provide a meaningful measure of privacy for those who are not ready to proceed publicly.

You deserve answers. You deserve to know whether the law can help you. And you deserve to be heard by attorneys who take what happened to you seriously. Contact Sommers Schwartz today to schedule a confidential consultation. There is no obligation, no judgment, and no cost to speak with someone about your experience.

FAQs About Benedictine Monks and Portsmouth Abbey Sexual Abuse Claims in Rhode Island

Which monks were credibly accused of sexual abuse at Portsmouth Abbey School?

The independent investigation found credible allegations of sexual abuse against two monks: Father Bede Gorman and Father Geoffrey Chase. Father Bede Gorman served as a teacher, coach, athletic director, and dorm housemaster at the school throughout his career until his death in 1985. The investigation was conducted by the New York law firm Debevoise & Plimpton and its findings were released publicly in August 2017.

Can I still file a lawsuit against Portsmouth Abbey if the abuse happened decades ago?

Yes. Rhode Island’s new law, H-7200A / S-2616A, signed by Governor Dan McKee on June 11, 2026, and effective July 1, 2026, creates a two-year revival window for survivors to bring otherwise time-barred claims against institutions and supervisors accused of enabling or covering up sexual abuse. The revival window runs from July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2028. During this 24-month period, survivors can file civil suits even if the statute of limitations on their claims had previously expired. You should speak with an attorney as soon as possible to evaluate your specific situation.

Can I file a lawsuit against the school or the Order of Saint Benedict, not just the individual abuser?

Yes. Rhode Island’s new law specifically targets institutions and supervisors, not just individual perpetrators. The law creates a two-year window for victims to bring otherwise time-barred claims against institutions and supervisors accused of enabling or covering up sexual abuse. If Portsmouth Abbey or the Order of Saint Benedict knew about abuse and failed to report it or take protective action, that institutional conduct can form the basis of a civil claim.

What if I am afraid to file publicly? Can I stay anonymous?

Rhode Island allows survivors to file civil lawsuits using anonymous designations, such as Jane Doe or John Doe. This means your name does not have to appear in public court filings. Many survivors choose this option, and it is a recognized and legitimate legal approach in Rhode Island courts. An attorney at Sommers Schwartz can explain exactly how this works and help you decide whether it is the right approach for your situation.

What does it cost to speak with a Sommers Schwartz attorney about a Portsmouth Abbey abuse claim?

There is no cost to speak with the attorneys at Sommers Schwartz about your experience. The firm handles sexual abuse cases on a contingency fee basis, which means you pay nothing unless and until your case results in a recovery. Your initial consultation is confidential, and you are under no obligation to proceed. Reaching out for information does not commit you to anything, and it may be the most important step you take toward understanding your rights.

More Resources About Religious Orders & Catholic Institutions

• Brothers of the Sacred Heart in Rhode Island *
• Congregation of Christian Brothers in Rhode Island *
• Dominican Friars in Rhode Island (Providence College) *
• Salesians & Other Orders Serving the Diocese *
• Diocese of Providence Compensation Programs & Prior Settlements (History)