Bergen Catholic HS reaches $1.9 million settlement with victims of alleged sex abuse

News 12
August 23, 2016

http://newjersey.news12.com/news/bergen-catholic-hs-reaches-1-9-million-settlement-with-victims-of-alleged-sex-abuse-1.12211049

ORADELL - Officials at Bergen Catholic High School in Oradell have reached a settlement with 21 former students over alleged sexual abuse.

The school will offer no formal admission of guilt or apology, but gave $1.9 million to the 21 alleged victims who went to the school in the 1960s and 1970s. They were allegedly abused by 11 teachers and staff members.

Road to Recovery, an organization dedicated to helping survivors of sexual abuse, helped some of the victims in the group.

"It is an acknowledgement first of all from the school – yes, it did happen. They are credible.  These are not made up allegations,” says Co-Founder Robert Hoatson. "No amount of money will ever bring these men’s lives back and the damage that was done to them."

Hoatson says that it took a year of talks and protests to come to the settlement. He says the Road to Recovery organization also wants the school to release all files regarding any other sexual abuse.  They believe there could be more victims.

One of the alleged victims was not part of the settlement because he refuses to take down his website against Bergen Catholic.

News 12 New Jersey reached out to officials at Bergen Catholic for comment, but did not receive calls back.