Cherry Hill, New Jersey - Camp Counselor at JCC Accused of Child Sexual Abuse

Counselor At Camp Run By Cherry Hill JCC Accused of Child Sex Abuse

An unnamed counselor at a South Jersey Jewish Community Center summer camp is currently under investigation for allegations of child sex abuse. On Monday, August 14, officials from the Jewish Federation of Southern New Jersey sent a letter to parents telling them about allegations made against a male assistance counselor at the Cherry Hill JCC.

In the letter, officials wrote that a child at the camp was injured two weeks ago following an interaction with a counselor. That counselor was transferred to the kitchen and state agency officials found that the incident was accidental.

One week later, a parent accused the same counselor of inappropriately touching a child at the summer camp. The counselor was suspended. On Friday, more parents came forward with child sexual assault allegations against the counselor.

No arrests have been made yet, but police are investigating the allegations. The counselor has been fired and their identity has not been revealed. JCC officials say that they are working with investigators.

Legal Options For Victims of Child Sexual Abuse in Religious Organizations

Attorney contributor and church sex abuse lawyer Guy D'Andrea has some general information on how child sexual abuse victims can find justice in the legal system:

When a child is sexually abused in a program run by a religious organization, it’s important both to arrest the perpetrator and to make sure that organizational negligence did not play a role in the abuse. In many cases, these organizations fail to properly protect children from abuse or mishandle reports of abuse. While sexual predators are held accountable in criminal court, these organizations can be held liable in the civil court system if the victim’s family chooses to file a lawsuit.

If your family has been affected by child sexual abuse, a victims rights lawyer can help you understand your legal options. With the common nature of stories of sexual abuse by individuals trusted with children, there is no excuse for an organization’s negligence allowing these crimes to occur. Taking legal action against negligent third parties helps demand accountability from these parties, provides financial compensation for victims, and can help prevent others from becoming victims in the future.