February 17, 2025
Contact: CJCC Press Team | press@justice4survivors.com | 978-807-7950
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Six Years After the Child Victims Act was Signed, Child Sexual Abuse Survivors and Advocates Call Out Hochul Admin’s Failure to Hold Big Insurance Accountable for Refusal to Pay Claims
NEW YORK – Child sexual abuse survivors and advocates delivered a Valentine’s Day arrangement to Governor Hochul’s Albany office today with a message from insurance giant CHUBB, thanking her for continuing to support their $9.27 billion bottom line at the expense of survivors. Governor Hochul’s administration has allowed insurance companies across the state to ignore their responsibilities under the Child Victims Act (CVA), causing added trauma and delays for thousands of survivors of childhood sexual abuse.
February 14 marked the sixth anniversary of the Child Victims Act being signed into New York State law, but thousands of survivors remain waiting for justice. Survivors of child sexual abuse have been calling on Hochul’s Department of Financial Services (DFS) to enforce the CVA for over a year, but the state agency has refused to take action – allowing the insurance industry to pad its massive profits by refusing pay CVA claims.
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 – issued the following statement:
“Governor Hochul is allowing big insurance to skirt state laws at the expense of child sexual abuse survivors — it’s no wonder she’s their valentine,” said David Catalfamo, Executive Director of the CJCC. “It is an utter disgrace that another year has gone by for the thousands of child sexual abuse survivors who are waiting for restitution. The only thing more appalling than Chubb’s utter disregard for their clients and for survivors of child sexual abuse is the Governor’s refusal to do anything about it.”
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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 and Hillary Nappi, Partner at Hach Rose Schirripa & Cheverie, who represent thousands of sexual abuse survivors in litigation against public and private entities