Delbarton Argues NJ Victims Rights Bill is Unconstitutional and Loses
In a Hail Mary move to roll back legislation that has already benefited communities throughout New Jersey, a catholic religious order filed a motion to overturn New Jersey’s 2019 Victim’s Rights Bill as unconstitutional. Fortunately, their motion was dismissed and the law – one of the best in the nation – remains on the books.
Attorneys for Delbarton, a school operated by the Benedictine order, argued that the Victims Rights Bill (S477) was unconstitutional in an attempt to avoid responsibility in a current clergy sexual abuse lawsuit. Rather than fight the lawsuit on its merits, Delbarton chose to fight on a technicality. We are glad that Judge Peter Bogaard saw through their argument and denied the Delbarton motion.
This story is a reminder of the challenges faced by survivors as they come forward and seek justice. By allowing these cases to be heard, children and communities are safer as abusers are made public and institutions held responsible. We are grateful for the attorneys and survivors fighting on the side of justice and prevention and hope their example inspires other survivors to come forward.
CONTACT: Mark Crawford, SNAP New Jersey ([email protected], 732-632-7687) Zach Hiner, Executive Director ([email protected], 517-974-9009)
(SNAP, the Survivors Network, has been providing support for victims of sexual abuse in institutional settings for 30 years. We have more than 25,000 survivors and supporters in our network. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)
Winter Appeal 2023
To our friends,
2023 has been a long year with many ups and downs for us all. As we close out the year, we at SNAP hope that you are feeling like you are on your way to being healthy, fulfilled, and happy. This past year has brought both successes and challenges. Thanks to the support you have shown in the past, we’ve been able to celebrate the good days and weather the stormy ones. Now, we are once again asking for your support as we work to support survivors new and old as we ‘Move SNAP Forward.’
At SNAP we are proud to have hosted a very well-attended conference in August 2023. This event allowed us to gather friends, survivors, advocates, and allies for a weekend of camaraderie and connection. We were so happy to be able to welcome many first-time attendees to gather in person and are already looking forward to the next conference.
To strengthen our movement for justice, healing, and prevention, SNAP will be expanding our peer support and providing more volunteer opportunities in the coming year. Through this great work, we are ensuring survivor voices are represented as we work for significant change that will benefit children and survivors.
Right now, survivors worldwide are getting the help they need from SNAP, and more and more reach out to us daily, but we need your help to keep those programs going and get our volunteers the training they need to thrive.
Your tax-deductible gift to SNAP can help offset the cost of our important mission. If you are not in a position to contribute, you can still support us by sharing this letter with those who can. As we continue to fight for survivors across the globe, your donation or sharing the great work SNAP does will help us continue our work to protect the vulnerable, heal the wounded, and prevent abuse.
Your donation ensures SNAP will be there for those who need us more than ever!
Warmly,
Michael W. McDonnell, C.P.S.
Interim Executive Director