UPDATE:  On December 1, 2019, the New Jersey Sexual Abuse Survivor Law went into effect. This law opens up a two-year window for sexual abuse survivors to file lawsuits, regardless of when the abuse took place. Read more here!

As news of the New Jersey Catholic Church sex abuse scandal continues to emerge, many potential claimants have questions about the ongoing investigation. Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about New Jersey clergy abuse.

How Many Children Have Been Victimized by Catholic Priests?

The exact number of victims of clergy abuse is not known, as these cases have rarely gone to trial, many have resulted in confidential settlement agreements, and many victims of childhood sexual abuse never come forward. However, the website Bishop Accountability hosts a database of settlements that have been made over the years. It shows 5,048 victims received settlements.

This figure represents 33% of the 15,235 survivors who were allegedly victimized by priests and other Church officials, according to NJ.com.

A Pennsylvania grand jury report found that more than 1,000 children had been abused by approximately 300 priests in the past 70 years. In response to the report, Pope Francis wrote a letter condemning the “crime” of priestly sexual abuse, and wrote: “We showed no care for the little ones; we abandoned them.”

How Many Priests Have Been accused in New Jersey?

New Jersey Roman Catholic dioceses published a list of approximately 188 priests and deacons accused of sexual abuse. The dioceses made the names public after the conclusion of an internal review, spurred by law enforcement conducting its own investigation. The Newark Archdiocese named 63 accused clergy members, 33 of whom are dead.

The Camden diocese named 56 priests and one deacon, while the Trenton diocese named 30 priests. The Paterson diocese named 28 priests and one deacon; the Metuchen diocese named 10 priests and one deacon, two of whom are subjects in law enforcement investigations.

In total, 109 of the alleged predator priests are dead, according to recent reports on the Catholic Church sex abuse scandal by northjersey.com and the New York Times.

How Many Priests Have Gone to Jail?

There is not an established figure for church officials who have gone to jail for sex abuse. At least one church official was sentenced to prison, while another one died awaiting trial, according to NJ.com.

Among the hundreds of priests and church officials identified in the Pennsylvania grand jury report, four had ties to New Jersey.

How Does New Jersey’s New Victim Law Affect Potential Litigation for Abuse?

On May 13, 2019, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy signed a law expanding the options for child victims of clergy sexual abuse and sexual abuse perpetrated on any minor, according to NorthJersey.com.

The previous law’s statute of limitations prevented many victims from filing suit, allowing a victim just two years, from age 18 to age 20, to file charges against an adult who sexually abused them, NorthJersey.com reported. With the passage of the new law, anyone who was victimized as a child has until age 55 to sue their perpetrator(s). If the victim recognizes the damage the abuse had on them earlier than this, they have up to seven years to pursue legal recourse.

How Much Money Has the Catholic Church Paid to Victims?

According to a spokesman for the Archdiocese of Newark, New Jersey’s five Catholic dioceses have paid a total of at least $50 million to those who suffered clergy abuse as children, reports to NJ.com.

This is part of $3 billion in legal settlements the Catholic Church has paid to alleged victims of clergy abuse throughout the United States, according to survivor advocates.

At least 19 U.S. Catholic dioceses have filed for bankruptcy, though none of them were in New Jersey.

How Much Money Can Victims Expect in a Settlement?

Compensation for church sex abuse victims will vary between cases, but some lawyers involved in the litigation have stated that compensation settlements as high as $500,000 have been offered.

Is There Any Danger of Funds Not Being Available?

With the passage of the New York’s Child Victim’s Act, and the opening of a similar window of opportunity for timed out complainants in New Jersey and other states, the Catholic Church will likely be hit with many, many lawsuits.

In New York, according to Lohud.com, one archdiocese is suing 32 insurance companies for breach of contract. The effort is designed to ensure victim compensation.

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