When New Jersey relaxed the law in 2019 allowing victims of child sexual abuse to file civil lawsuits against their attackers, a floodgate of civil cases opened.

Hundreds of victims who were unable to file a lawsuit against their harassers because the statute of limitations had expired came forward. new law, New Jersey Child Victims Act, He allowed them to sue their abusers until they turned 55.

John Baldante and his partner, Daniella Price, have filed nearly 600 lawsuits statewide, more than any other firm. Their firmWith offices in Haddonfield and Philadelphia, he focuses on civil cases involving public and private schools and the Roman Catholic Church on behalf of victims of child sexual abuse.

“We are on the front lines of all this,” Baldante said in an interview last week. “It was an agonizing wait for the survivors.”

Baldante said his firm has shifted gears to deal with the “avalanche” of cases falling into its lap. He said the firm has the largest inventory of child sexual abuse cases.

There are believed to be as many as 2,000 civil cases Lawsuits have been filed since New Jersey created an exception to the statute of limitations. Nearly two dozen states have passed similar laws making it easier for victims of child sexual abuse to seek justice in civil courts.

“When you think about it, these numbers start to boggle the mind,” Baldante said. “I was shocked to see how frequently child sexual abuse happens.”

” READ MORE: Hear what Salema Hicks Robinson says about her civil sexual abuse lawsuit, what she lost, and how she triumphed

Five years after the law was changed, these cases are being resolved either through settlements or jury verdicts. Baldante estimates his firm has settled about two dozen cases, averaging $2.5 million to $3 million, and hundreds of cases are pending.

The settlements provide support to survivors of abuse and send a strong message to organizations harboring predators that they “can’t cover it up and expect to get away with it,” said founder and CEO Marci Hamilton. Child USA and a child sexual abuse expert.

Baldante believes about 100 similar cases have been solved by other firms. Some cases involving private entities are resolved with a confidentiality agreement, but public school districts must disclose such agreements.

Jeffrey P. Fritz, sexual abuse attorney Bay, who represents clients under the new law, said civil lawsuits provide some justice to victims who have no other recourse. He has several pending lawsuits against the Cherry Hill school district.

“There are tons more out there,” Fritz said.

Fritz reached a $2 million settlement with the Camden school district and former advisory board chairman Wasim Muhammad in June. He was accused of sexually assaulting Salema Robinson when she was his former student in 1994.. He also filed a lawsuit under the new law.

Setting a new standard

In what is believed to be the largest settlement Baldante and Price, among the lawsuits filed under the new law, reached a $30 million settlement in September. On behalf of five young women who claimed they were sexually harassed by their instructors at a ballet school in North Jersey.

“These figures set the new standard for how valuable these cases actually are,” Baldante said. “There must be responsibility”

According to court documents, Eugene Petrov’s alleged harassment continued for years and It happened at the now-closed Petrov Ballet School in Bergen County in 2011, when the women were teenagers. Petrov was the founder and artistic director of the school.

According to records, many girls had dreams of becoming professional ballet dancers, and Petrov offered them extra attention to help them achieve their dreams. Separate lawsuits filed in 2021 alleged Petrov groomed the girls and then sexually assaulted them.

Under the consent decree, Petrov will not be held personally liable, and the plaintiffs agreed not to seek any amounts from him, according to the document. Petrov denied any wrongdoing and no criminal charges were filed. lawyer, David Jay Glassman A message from Marlton to his office was not returned.

However, Baldante plans to file a bad faith lawsuit against the ballet school’s insurance company to collect $30 million in damages. The insurance company denied any liability, arguing that the alleged abuse was not covered by insurance.

” READ MORE: Civil trial to begin for Camden school board advisory chair accused of sexually assaulting former student

Baldante said the case could take several years to resolve. However, since the ballet school was closed, she said her clients were happy with the current outcome and were starting to move on with their lives.

“It’s a huge responsibility to know that I had a hand in someone’s recovery,” said his partner Price. “It means a lot.”

It is estimated that 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys in New Jersey experience some form of sexual abuse before the age of 18. But much abuse goes unreported, according to Child USA’s Hamilton.

Victims often don’t disclose the trauma they experienced until later in life, usually between 40 and 55, Hamilton said. Previously, New Jersey required child victims to file civil lawsuits by age 20. A bill that would implement similar changes has been delayed in Pennsylvania.

All five women agreed to use their names in the lawsuit against Petrov, but The Inquirer does not identify victims in sexual assault cases without their consent. Two of the women, Cristina Tummillo and Elizabeth Flynn, wanted to share their stories to encourage other victims of sexual abuse to consider coming forward.

“We applaud these girls for being so brave,” Baldante said.

Cristina Tummillo: ‘My recovery journey has just begun’

Tummillo started attending ballet classes when she was 5 years old. His father offered volunteer carpentry work at the Petrov Ballet school, and his teacher, Eugene, was a trusted family friend.

Tummillo said that in 2011, when they were around 16, Petrov gained his trust by acting as his mentor. She put in extra hours on weekends and stayed up late to pursue her dream of becoming a professional dancer. Then, according to the lawsuit, the alleged sexual abuse began. she embraces and caresses him, and Petrov masturbates in front of her, and continued for seven years.

Tummillo said she kept in touch with other dancers after graduating from high school and during visits to ballet school. She saw disturbing signs that led her to believe other girls were being sexually abused.

“I just started putting the pieces together,” Tummillo said.

Tummillo and Flynn, now 29 and an office manager, were the first to decide to sue, and others followed. As a result, the ballet school was closed.

“I’m so glad I did this. The result is worth it,” he said. “It was the right thing to do.”

Elizabeth Flynn: ‘It’s not your fault’

In her youth, Flynn spent every free moment at ballet school. This was his life.

“I loved dancing. “It was a lot of fun,” he said.

And then it wasn’t. He said the sexual abuse started when he was 15 and continued for 3 years. He didn’t tell anyone, partly out of shame and embarrassment.

“I didn’t want anyone to know about it,” said Flynn, now 24.

Eventually, Flynn confided in his parents. He also spoke to Tummillo and asked to “come forward and share my story.” According to the complaint, Petrov harassed her more than 100 times and she was conditioned to believe this behavior was normal.

His bravery was embraced by his family and friends, Flynn said.

“I think it’s important to know that you’re not alone. “It’s not your fault,” he said.