August 5, 2024
Contact: press@justice4survivors.com | 978-807-7950
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
As USTA grapples with failures to protect athletes from sexual abuse, survivor alliance calls out tennis association’s partnership with major insurer refusing to pay claims in child sexual abuse cases
NEW YORK – The Coalition for Just and Compassionate Compensation (CJCC) – an independent alliance of survivors of child sexual abuse, their representatives, and advocates seeking full restitution for child sexual abuse survivors – sent a letter Monday to United States Tennis Association (USTA) CEO and Executive Director Lew Sherr calling for the association to immediately drop Chubb Insurance as a sponsor for the U.S. Open. Chubb has come under fire for refusing to pay out claims in child sexual abuse cases in New York and across the country, delaying justice for thousands of survivors of child sexual abuse.
Survivors and advocates are demanding immediate action from the USTA, which itself has been recently condemned for failing to protect players from sexual abuse.
The text of the letter reads in full:
We, the board of the Coalition for Just and Compassionate Compensation, are writing to demand that the United States Tennis Association (USTA) immediately terminate its sponsorship agreement with Chubb Insurance.
Our coalition has been at the forefront of advocating for survivors of child sex abuse. We find the USTA’s continued association with Chubb deeply troubling and morally and ethically incompatible with the values of safety and accountability that should be paramount in youth sports. This is especially concerning in light of the recent independent review that concluded the USTA must do more to protect players from abuse such as sexual misconduct.
Chubb, through its subsidiary ACE American Insurance Company, has been implicated in highly questionable practices related to cases involving the sexual abuse of children. Court documents have revealed that ACE allegedly directed Kanakuk Kamps to withhold information about known sexual misconduct by a former camp director, prioritizing their financial interests over the safety and well-being of children.
Furthermore, Chubb’s litigation tactics against the Archdiocese of New York demonstrate a cynical pattern of avoiding full accountability and financial responsibility for harm caused to abuse survivors. These actions serve only to delay justice and exacerbate the suffering and trauma of thousands who were sexually abused as children.
The recent lawsuit filed by the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) against multiple insurance companies, including subsidiaries of Chubb Limited, further underscores the harmful and deplorable behavior of insurers in handling sexual abuse cases. The LAUSD alleges that these insurers have shirked their responsibilities to defend and indemnify the district in over 60 sexual abuse lawsuits, choosing instead to “delay, stall, stonewall and otherwise engage in insurance coverage gamesmanship.”
The USTA, as a leading organization in tennis, has a responsibility to set a high standard for child protection and corporate accountability. By maintaining a sponsorship agreement with Chubb, the USTA is tacitly endorsing a company that has demonstrated a willingness to prioritize its financial interests over the safety of children and the pursuit of justice for abuse survivors. Chubb is also setting a shameful precedent that other insurers are likely to follow.
We call on the USTA to take immediate action:
1. Terminate the sponsorship agreement with Chubb effective immediately.
2. Issue a public statement explaining the reason for this termination, emphasizing the USTA’s commitment to child safety and supporting survivors of childhood sexual abuse.
3. Implement a more rigorous vetting process for future sponsors to ensure alignment with values of child protection and accountability.
4. Commit to redirecting a portion of sponsorship funds towards programs that support abuse survivors in tennis and enhance safeguarding measures.
The USTA has an opportunity to demonstrate real leadership in addressing the critical issue of sexual abuse in sports amid criticism of the contrary. Ending the sponsorship with Chubb would send a powerful message that the tennis community stands firmly on the side of survivors and child safety.
We await your prompt response and action on this urgent matter.
Sincerely,
Stephen Jimenez
The Coalition for Just and Compassionate Compensation
David Catalfamo
The Coalition for Just and Compassionate Compensation
Kathryn Robb, Esq.
Executive Director, Children’s Justice Campaign
Enough Abuse
Richard Tollner
Pro Bono Child Sex Abuse Lobbyist serving since 2006
The Coalition for Just and Compassionate Compensation
###
The Coalition for Just and Compassionate Compensation (“CJCC”) is an independent alliance of survivors of child sex abuse, their representatives, and advocates seeking full restitution for survivors of child sex abuse. Among members of the coalition are author and journalist Stephen Jimenez, a survivor of childhood sexual abuse and longtime advocate who helped pass the Child Victims Act (CVA), and attorneys James Marsh, Founding Partner at Marsh Law Firm, Jeff Herman, Founder of Herman Law Firm, and Hillary Nappi, Partner at Hach Rose Schirripa & Cheverie, who represent thousands of sexual abuse survivors in litigation against public and private entities