Tuesday is the deadline for sexual abuse victims in New Jersey to file lawsuits against their abusers regardless of when the abuse happened. The two-year window for filing opened in December 2019, when Gov. Phil Murphy signed a law that temporarily waived the statute of limitations that typically exist for such lawsuits.
Officials told NJ Spotlight News, as of the end of October, 1,220 cases have been filed. Two-thirds of those cases name a religious entity as a defendant, while another 14% name a school — just under 10% name the Boy Scouts of America.
The wave of lawsuits comes as some commonly sued organizations are running out of money for settlements. In South Jersey, the Camden Diocese has declared bankruptcy in the face of mounting abuse cases. At least two Boy Scout councils in New Jersey have sold campgrounds this year to pay sexual abuse settlements.
