New Jersey Independent Victim Compensation Program (IVCP)
On February 12, 2019 the Catholic Dioceses of New Jersey—Newark, Paterson, Metuchen, Camden, and Trenton—announced a plan to launch the Independent Victim Compensation Program (IVCP) to compensate adult survivors of child sexual abuse by Diocesan clergy. The Program, intended to be an alternative to litigation, will be administered by Kenneth Feinberg and Camille Biros.
The Program was open as of Monday, July 15, 2019. Survivor participation in the Program is voluntary. The Program is available to any survivor of sexual abuse as a minor by priests or clergy of the five Roman Catholic Dioceses of New Jersey; it does not apply to religious order priests or clergy of Dioceses outside of New Jersey. Both survivors who have an existing claim and those filing for the first time can seek compensation. Anyone who has a previously settled or dismissed claim is not eligible to participate.
- The deadline to register a new allegation was January 31, 2020
- The deadline for submission of a claim was February 15, 2020
Visit the official IVCP page for more details.
Although pursuing an independent compensation program might be the right decision for some survivors, we believe there is a better way to protect children and find justice. These compensation programs only offer compensation; they do not require full transparency regarding clergy abuse and how these dioceses protected perpetrator priests, as litigation likely would. Nor do they require the dioceses to implement child protection protocols, as litigation likely would. In addition, survivors of child sexual abuse by members of religious orders, priests from other dioceses or laypersons are not eligible to participate in the programs. And survivors who accept compensation through the programs waive their right to file a lawsuit against the dioceses in the future.
You Are Not Alone. We Are Here to Help.
Before making a decision concerning such serious and sensitive matters, we encourage all survivors of child sexual abuse by clergy, Boy Scout leaders, teachers, coaches, or other authority figures to consult with legal counsel before proceeding with a claim. Our law firm of legal professionals and advocates has more than three decades of experience working with survivors of sexual abuse and litigating cases against perpetrators of sexual abuse and the institutions that protect them. Contact us today. Your information will remain completely confidential.
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