Childhood victims of sexual abuse which occurs at non-profit institutions can not hold these organizations accountable in New Jersey because of the state's charitable immunity law. The Catholic Church and others like the American Boychoir have used the state's law to shield themselves from lawsuits by victims.

Please help victims in New Jersey change this law. Click the link below to e-mail members of New Jersey's legislature urging them to pass A2512 to make it clear that charitable institutions can be held responsible when their negligence contributes to child sexual abuse.

E-mail the General Assembly

Every major newspaper in New Jersey has editorialized in favor of this law, the bill has overwhelming bi-partisian support and moved almost unanimously out of the state senate. As reported by the press, the only groups which oppose the law are the Catholic Church and American Boychoir -- both have untold numbers of children molested by priests or, in the case of the American Boychoir, school staff.

The bill has stalled in the assembly. The Speaker of the Assembly has not posted the legislation for a vote by the full assembly even though the bill has overwhelming support by lawmakers. We can only assume the Speaker has been influenced by the Church because how could anyone really oppose a law that holds negligent organizations responsible for the sexual abuse of children.

As far as I can tell, the Speaker is not a bad legislator; I conclude, therefore, that he just doesn't understand how horrible sexual abuse can be and how traumatic the effects.

Please e-mail the Speaker and legislators. Tell them what it's like to be a victim of abuse and how it hurts. Tell them we deserve a chance to heal. At the very least, tell them to post A2512 and make it clear that charities have no immunity when it comes to child sexual abuse.

This has to be done soon. Through lobbying by the Church the bill has been postponed time and again; we now have only a few weeks before the legislation expires. Please write your letter immediately.

Or if you can't write a letter of your own -- it would be a lot better though to tell him how important this law is to victims -- copy and paste the following into your e-mail with the subject line "End Charitable Immunity".


Name and address if from New Jersey -- but no matter where you live, send the letter -- This is a national disgrace. New Jersey is one of only five states where charities claim immunity from childhood sexual abuse.

For more information please visit:  www.FixTheLaw.org