The five Catholic dioceses of New Jersey have released lists of priests who have faced credible accusations of sexual abuse against minor children dating back as far as the 1940s. The New Jersey Catholic dioceses have joined others in nearly 30 other states that have published similar lists in the wake of last year’s grand jury report in Pennsylvania.

What does this mean for the victims of sexual abuse? What follows is a list of frequently-asked questions about sexual abuse by clergy and what steps victims can take in seeking justice.

What of Criminal Prosecutions?

The majority of these accusations date from years, even decades ago. The statute of limitations on reporting sexual abuse was eliminated in 1996, but cases prior to that year were subject to a five-year statute of limitations. Furthermore, over half of the perpetrators listed are deceased. Dozens of others were defrocked and at the whereabouts of at least two are not known.

For these reasons, criminal prosecutions for church sex abuse can’t be pursued in many cases. If there is any bright side, it is that the state as well as the Catholic dioceses of New Jersey will thoroughly examine what went wrong, and how to prevent future tragedies of this nature.

The state legislature also recently passed a statute of limitations bill that will make it easier for victims to hold their abusers accountable through civil litigation.

Are They Required to Register as Sex Offenders?

Five of the surviving accused clergymen are being monitored; four of them, now in their eighties, are under supervision at a retirement home, while the fifth one is being monitored by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s office.

A number of the accused are living at residential treatment centers, while others have left the U.S. It is not altogether certain how Catholic dioceses in New Jersey are handling the problem.

What is the Definition of “Credibly Accused”?

Unfortunately, there are no legal (written) standards or criteria for this term. Essentially, it means whoever hears the accusation has reason to believe it. The phrase “credibly accused” can be controversial.

One lawyer who specializes in sex abuse cases told the Dallas News said, “It means they [the dioceses] are going to leave out people they don’t want to give you.” Another skeptic, who represents Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP), calls it “a dodge…since there have been many cases where accusations deemed ‘not credible’ [by the Church] actually turned out to be very real.”

What Should Victims Do?

For an abuse survivor seeking to address the legal issues of their situation, the best advice is to check in with an attorney who handles Catholic sex abuse cases. Support organizations are also available, such as the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, or SNAP.

Where Can Catholic Dioceses of New Jersey Lists of Abusers be Viewed?

Each one of the Catholic dioceses of New Jersey has published its own list of priests, which can be viewed and searched at the links below:

• Camden
• Metuchen
• Newark (.pdf file)
• Paterson
• Trenton (.pdf file)

This article is not legal advice. It is presented
for informational purposes only.