An ad campaign is pressuring Gov. Kathy Hochul to force insurance companies to pay claims to thousands of alleged sexual assault victims on behalf of churches, hospitals, schools, Boy Scouts troops and other employers they represent under the Child Victims Act.
The victims who were allegedly abused as children decades ago sued the various organizations they claimed allowed the abuse to happen decades later under the New York State Child Victims Act of 2019.
But many cases are tied up in court, with insurers of the defendants refusing to make payments on behalf of their clients, including the Catholic Church and other defendants, according to the group behind the ads, The Coalition for Just and Compassionate Compensation.
The group is bankrolled by allies of the Catholic Church, among others.
Hochul’s Department of Financial Services is supposed to help enforce the law, advocates said.
“Who turns their back on over 14,000 survivors of child sex abuse? Our Kathy Hochul. She stands with her big insurance buddies denying responsibility while donating to her campaign,” the narrator in the 30-second cable TV ad playing in Albany and upstate media markets says.
The ad shows headlines of the Buffalo Diocese shuttering 10 churches.
Hochul, according to the ad, has received $578,000 in campaign contributions from the insurance lobby.
“Survivors suffer — and justice stalls,” the ad says.
“Gov. Hochul has the power to act,” it continues. “Demand she enforce the law. Make Big insurance pay, not the survivors.”
Sex abuse victims also cried foul.
“Six years ago, survivors were promised that the Child Victims Act would hold abusers and enablers accountable,” said Steve Jimenez, a survivor and CJCC trustee. “Instead, we’re still waiting — while Governor Hochul cashes checks from big insurance. Enforce the law, Governor. Do your job.”
A rep for Hochul slammed the advocacy group for trying to drag her into a payment dispute in court proceedings involving organizations such as the Catholic Church and insurance companies over who is liable to foot the bill to compensate child sex abuse victims.
“Governor Hochul has repeatedly demonstrated her commitment to survivors of sexual assault, signing new laws and investing record funding to support this vulnerable community,” said Hochul spokesman Avi Small.
“It’s ludicrous for this organization to weaponize the pain of survivors in a cynical attempt to pull this Administration into a contractual dispute between two private entities.”
The state Department of Financial Services, in a statement, said of the criticism, “We are actively monitoring ongoing litigation as the courts seek to answer important legal questions about insurers’ contractual liabilities and will hold insurers accountable for their obligations as appropriate.”
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