Indeed, of more than 500 lawsuits filed under the Child Victims Act since Aug. 14, nearly 97 percent have identified large institutions — namely the Catholic church or the Boy Scouts of America —instead of individuals. Fewer than 20 cases have named solely an individual or multiple individuals, according to a Times Union analysis of online court filings.
Some activists, including the Child Victims Act’s most fervent supporters, are calling on New York legislators to create a public-and-private victims’ fund to compensate survivors who cannot pursue justice under the current law.