Fund For Church Sexual Abuse Victims Opening In NJ

NEW JERSEY — People who were sexually abused by Catholic priests can file to receive financial compensation from the five dioceses in New Jersey starting next week, four months after the fund was promised.

The New Jersey Independent Victim Compensation Program (IVCP) will begin accepting claims beginning on June 15 from anyone who has been sexually abused by a diocesan priest or deacon in the Arch/Dioceses of Metuchen, Camden, Newark, Paterson and Trenton.

The fund was first promised in February, when dioceses across the state releases names of priests and deacons credibly accused of sexual assault and abuses. The February announcement was the first from the church naming accused priests of abuse dating back to the 1940s, with much of it being dated to the late 1900s.

Claims can be filed starting on June 15, and the filing window closes on Dec. 31, 2019. All claims will be considered, regardless of the date of the abuse. You can find more claim filing protocol information here.

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"This program is endorsed by all five Roman Catholic Dioceses in N.J. and their bishops who are united in supporting abuse survivors by providing them with an efficient alternative to litigation, that is both speedy and transparent, to resolve their claims with a significantly lower level of proof and corroboration than required in a court of law," the spokesperson said.

Jeff Anderson, a lawyer with Jeff Anderson and Associates who has represented dozens of abuse victims across several states told Patch that the compensation program was one option for survivors, but wasn't the best option.

"It serves the Dioceses interests more than the survivors," Anderson said, adding that the payout amounts are much smaller than a victim might get by filing a lawsuit. He called the program designed to protect the status quo and keep the secrets of the Catholic church.

It keeps things "business as usual," Anderson said, because once a victim goes through the compensation fund, they forfeit their right to sue over the abuse. In addition to the possibility of higher compensation, a lawsuit brings to light the details of the abuse while allowing the victim to file as John or Jane Doe, Anderson said.

Still, some victims might chose to go through the fund just to "get it over with," Anderson acknowledged.

The fund will be administered by Kenneth R. Feinberg and Camille S. Biros, who have previously designed and administered similar programs in New York and Pennsylvania. They've also spearheaded compensation efforts for sexual abuse victims at Penn State, of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and the Boston Marathon bombing victims.

Feinberg and Biros will have "complete autonomy" to assess claims, and church officials cannot challenge the awarding of money, or the amount of the award, church officials said.

A Diocese of Metuchen spokesperson said no funds from the Bishop's Annual Appeal, nor money "given by a donor for a specific ministry or apostolate" will be used to settle claims. The Metuchen Diocese anticipates using insurance funds to pay out claims; since it was founded in 1981, the Diocese has paid out $1.5 million in settlements to 21 survirors.

Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, the archbishop of Newark, previously said the program also will assure that victims who have not received any financial compensation will be paid, regardless of whether their claims meet the time requirements of the statute of limitations.

"The allegations that have been received by our diocese as related to the sexual abuse of minors by diocesan priests in our parishes and schools are, in all cases, decades old," said Bishop James F. Checchio of the Diocese of Metuchen. "While our present Church has been entrusted with the responsibility of handling the misdeeds of the past, our diocese has taken significant steps to create safe environments in our parishes and our schools to ensure that these crimes and sins will not be repeated or tolerated, in any way, in our future."