Demonstrators at Immaculata High School, Bernardsville Middle School Address Child Sex Abuse

By Sergio Bichao
MyCentralJersey
January 3, 2012

http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20120103/NJNEWS/301030022/Demonstrators-at-Immaculata-High-School-Bernardsville-Middle-School-address-child-sex-abuse

A group of child sex abuse survivors stood outside Immaculata High School Tuesday morning to demonstrate in support of legislation that would lift New Jersey’s statute of limitations on child sex abuse lawsuits.

Last month a longtime volunteer basketball coach at Immaculata was charged with videotaping boys showering in the school’s locker room over a period of three years.

The four men from Road to Recovery, a Livingston-based non-profit support group for victims of child, also planned to stand outside Bernardsville Middle School, where the accused, Patrick Lott, works as assistant principal.

Road to Recover founder and president Robert M. Hoatson said he and the other demonstrators are also victims of sexual abuse.

They support legislation introduced December 2010 in state Sentate and Assembly that would lift the statute of limitations for lawsuits stemming from sexual abuse.

Currenlty, the state’s Child Sexual Abuse Act allows victims of childhood sexual abuse two years after they turn 18 to bring suit.

Hoatson is a former Roman Catholic priest who butted heads with the church over its handling of cases of sexual abuse committed by members of the clergy.