Although the proposed legislation has stalled in the past, it is now gaining momentum after a Pennsylvania grand jury report that exposed the Catholic church for covering up the sexual abuse of more than 1,000 children by 300 priests, several of which had served in New Jersey. Since the groundbreaking report was made public, support has poured out toward Senator Vitale’s bill. This is significant because it will not only bring to light many instances of abuse that were previously swept under the run, but it will also bring justice to many potential or closed cases.
New Jersey has undergone a thorough and lengthy investigation into suspected clergy abuse cases throughout the state following a case where the Archdiocese of Newark was subpoenaed. Advocates are making progress in holding the Catholic church accountable for offences that were previous swept under the rug. Though sexual abuse can occur within any faith, the Catholic church specifically has been under fire because its abuse is so far-reaching and the church’s response has been weak when it came to releasing information or giving compensation to its victims.
The five NJ dioceses have set up a new compensation fund to offer alleged victims’ settlements in exchange for agreeing not to file lawsuits against the church. However, taking compensation or services from established funds may prevent survivors from being able to participate in future compensation recovery efforts, even when the laws change in favor of victims’ rights.
Survivors of child sexual abuse should seek legal advice from an experienced attorney before accepting compensation or signing any agreements. Survivors have a right to compensation for medical and psychological costs, lost wages, pain and suffering, among others. Call us now.
Filing a court case does not undo the damages done by sexual abuse, but it can help to relieve the burden of moving forward. At the Mocco Law Group, we care not only about fairly representing our clients but also about respecting and understanding our clients’ emotional needs. We handle client cases with respect and we are mindful of the traumatic nature of these cases. Through gathering evidence and witness testimony, we promise to do our best in bringing a fair outcome to the clients we represent. We handle a wide variety of cases, not only involving religious organizations but also cases relating to private schools, sports leagues, summer camps, medical facilities, and more. Contact us today for a consultation with one of our trusted attorneys.