As reported by The Inquirer for Philly.com a victim of priest abuse has filed a lawsuit naming the Diocese of Camden, claiming repressed memories from the early 1970s have caused a “late discovery” of the alleged incidents. The suit also cites the diocese for its failure to protect the victim when they were aware that the priest had a proclivity for abusing young men.
The alleged victim, M.B., 50, now lives near Cincinnati and stated the multiple incidents of abuse occurred in Camden – while he was a first grader at the St. Anthony of Padua School. He has named his abuser as Rev. J.E.S.
Per his attorney, the “late discovery” feature of New Jersey’s child endangerment law allows the victim to sue the diocese.
The suit states that sometime after the first grade M.B. left St Anthony, repressing all memories of the actions that had transpired. Later, in February of 2011, his memories came flooding back following the knowledge that a registered sex offender had moved into his current neighborhood.
M.B. said that while walking through his neighborhood – after learning the news – he saw a man that “reminded me of a young priest.” Then, per a statement released by M.B.’s lawyer, “The memories of what Father (J.E.S.) did to me started to come back, and things got very bad for me.”
Normally the state of New Jersey allows sexually abused minors until the age of 20 to file a lawsuit. However, according to Jessica Arbour, M.B.’s attorney, if they can demonstrate that their situation resulted in repressed memories, they are allowed to go forward regardless of their age.
Arbour said, “Repression is not the same as suppression. Suppression is just, 'I don't want to think about it.' With repression, the memory is gone."
Arbour said that her client suffers with “traumatic amnesia.”
In the 1990s J.E.S. was accused of sexual abuse by a minimum of four men; he denied the allegations. In 2002 the diocese paid out $880,000 for lawsuits involving 15 of their priests – and J.E.S.’s four accusers were among those that received the award.
The spokesman for the Camden Diocese, Peter Feuerherd, said, that J.E.S. “has had similar accusations against him in the past”, was removed from the ministry in 1990, and now “lives under close supervision in a treatment facility outside the diocese.”
M.B. has accused the diocese of having “fraudulently concealed” their knowledge of J.E.S. predation of young boys, as well as knowingly allowing him exposure to boys.
M.B. wrote in a statement: “Until recently, I had almost no memory of my entire childhood. It felt like I was born a teenager.”
Advocates for SNAP, Survivors’ Network of Those Abused by Priests, picketed outside of the Diocese of Camden offices. Their request, to have Bishop Galante reveal the names of all current and former priests accused of misconduct with children, was yet to be answered.
Following abuse by a member of the clergy, there is a lot to contend with. Whether you are battling anonymity, or fear that the abuse occurred too long ago, contact a personal injury lawyer to discuss your case. Laws vary from state to state, and, change from year to year.