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!

Catholic priests are not the only clergy under fire for sexually abusing minors. In a new lawsuit, a former Pentecostal youth minister has been accused of assaulting minors in New Jersey.

Two Middlesex County families say that Shawn Butler sexually molested their children during the time he served at Eternal Life Christian Center. In addition to the Eternal Life Christian Center and the General Council of the Assemblies of God, the New Jersey church abuse case lawsuit also names five John Doe defendants.

The suit states that at the time of the alleged New Jersey church abuse, the victims were ages 15 and 16. Butler was responsible for various roles in the church at the time, including leadership, pastoral care, and youth counseling.

The church is accused of improper supervision of the pastor. According to NJ.com, Butler was active in the church from 2004 to 2014, and the lawsuit states that he sexually abused children throughout his tenure there.

In late September 2019, Butler was sentenced to five years in prison for violating Megan’s Law due to his participation in a youth-serving organization. Six months earlier, he received a separate five-year sentence for sexual contact with a 15-year-old girl. The sentences are to be served consecutively, according to NJ.com.

According to court papers, Butler asked the girl to babysit at his home. The second time she came over to babysit, Butler told her he had received visions from God saying he could help her “be happy” and “become closer to God” if they reenacted his visions. According to the girl’s court testimony, he laid on top of her and performed sexual movements with their clothes on.

Butler had previously been convicted of sexual assault in 1990 based on claims of appropriate contact with a young girl, labeling him as a Megan’s Law sex offender and prohibiting him from participating in youth-serving organizations. Despite this, he participated in youth ministry as a youth counselor, mentor, and chaperone for children ages 12 to 17 at Eternal Life Christian Center.

The lawsuits make claims of negligent hiring and training, sexual abuse, negligent entrustment, fraud, violations of the Childhood Sexual Abuse Act, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

Butler is serving five years at Southern State Correctional Facility in Delmont after his conviction in the Superior Court of Middlesex County in 2019. Butler’s parole eligibility is approaching on Nov. 25.

Butler offered a number of arguments to the appellate court to try and have his conviction overturned. He argued that he was denied the opportunity to impeach the victim’s credibility at trial by asking about her previous boyfriend. He also argued that there should have been a mistrial after the prosecuting attorney accidentally played a redacted recording of a phone call between him and the victim that implied he was being investigated for conduct with another possible victim. He also argued that his sentence had been miscalculated.

The appellate court rejected all of Butler’s arguments, and his convictions were upheld.

The opening of the look-back window in nearby New York and the brave stories of childhood sex abuse survivors around the country have encouraged mores victim to come forward. Earlier this year, New Jersey extended the rights of victims to take legal action for sexual abuses that occurred in the past. Under previous laws, victims had limited timeframes to file suit against alleged abusers, and for children that stopped at age 20.

However, with changes in the law signed by the governor in May, childhood sexual abuse victims can now sue until the victim reaches age 55 or no later than seven years after the individual realization that the abuse caused harm to the victim. This greatly extended the window for possible sex abuse lawsuits.

This was a big win for victims in New Jersey. Many other states have also passed or revised a statute of limitations bill for sexual abuse victims, and some have also enacted similar look-back windows.

Many childhood victims don’t fully understand what happened to them or come to terms with the long-lasting impacts of childhood sexual abuse until decades later.

If you or someone you know was subjected to childhood sexual abuse in New Jersey, you may be able to file a lawsuit and pursue compensation. Of course, filing a lawsuit cannot take away the pain and suffering caused by childhood sexual abuse, but it can at least help to provide some compensation, as well as hold those responsible for the abuse, including any organizations that may have allowed the abuse to occur, accountable for their actions and inactions.

Filing a lawsuit can be a daunting prospect, so Top Class Actions has laid the groundwork for you by connecting you with an experienced attorney. Consulting an attorney can help you determine if you have a claim, navigate the complexities of litigation, and maximize your potential compensation.

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