Over the past years, there has been an apparent increase in cases of sexual abuse within religious communities. Perhaps most memorable of these are the accusations against Catholic priests, however, these atrocious crimes can be committed by members of any religious faith.
Religious settings foster an environment of trust, respect, and even reverence for leaders. The abusers, in turn, will use the faith placed on them to transgress on their peers. Behaviors first interpreted as strange or even inappropriate can signal that sexual abuse has already occurred or could take place in the future.
If you suspect that your child or another minor has been the victim of sexual abuse in a religious community, contact our experienced clergy abuse lawyers today. In a free legal consultation, we can provide specific information with regards to your case as well as the potential legal options at your disposal.
Time is of the essence in these matters as a single incident of abuse can devastate the life of a victim. You can count on the church abuse lawyers at Garden State Justice Group - we are entirely devoted to bringing experienced legal representation and personal attention to our clients and their loved ones.
The clergy abuse lawsuits we have handled in the past have taught us how to establish robust cases, and the six-figure settlements we've secured on behalf of victims inspire us to forge on tirelessly until justice is done.
As recently as 2016, investigations into a Roman Catholic Diocese uncovered dozens of cases involving priests who were alleged to have sexually abused children. Even more concerning is the fact that none of these cases were released to the public. They were only brought to light by a Grand Jury report.
The inherent structure of the church has made it incredibly difficult for victims to report any kind of incident. The previously-mentioned Grand Jury report was only able to uncover the abuse after years of investigation. Many of the reports that surfaced were found to have occurred as long as decades before.
One must also consider that claims and concerns raised by victims or their loved ones are often discredited, both intentionally and accidentally. With this in mind, it's not difficult to understand why survivors will often retreat to the shadows, forced to repress their pain and deal with their trauma by themselves.
All of these victims deserve to have a voice, and they deserve justice. By filing a church abuse lawsuit in the New Jersey civil court system, it can be pursued and achieved.
NJ state law gives survivors the power to fight and be compensated for emotional, physical, and financial damages resulting from the abuse. Unfortunately, most victims don't know their rights and are often left to fend on their own. Many even believe that a criminal trial handled by the State is the only way to hold accountable the responsible organization, yet this is simply not true.
The trust that is placed on leaders of religious communities makes it particularly difficult to win a case without the assistance of experienced legal representation. Your attorney and their team will have to prove negligence on behalf of the church and, ultimately, have to prove that you deserve maximum compensation for damages you suffered.
Even in the face of obstacles such as these, achieving justice for the victims whose lives were shattered and permanently scarred makes it worth any and all effort that must be exerted. This is the principle that our lawyers live by, and the reason why they've devoted their professional careers to this segment of the law. Let our clergy abuse attorneys fight for you.
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For more legal resources, visit our next page: Sexual Abuse In New Jersey Schools
