For decades and decades, virtually every victim of sexual violence has faced a rigid deadline by which she or he must take legal action or be forever shut out of our nation’s courts. Those deadlines, thankfully, are gradually being relaxed or repealed. The margin by which this proposal was passed by legislators is also encouraging. We’re going on at some length about this here because it’s such a radical change, and some have a hard time wrapping their heads around it. The new law gives adult survivors of sexual assault one year to file lawsuits against their perpetrators.” One expert is quoted as saying that the measure “also allows people who were sexually assaulted at work or in the care of an institution like a hospital or jail to sue that entity.” (These deadlines are called statutes of limitations.) More specifically, these extensions and eliminations have mostly helped child victims. But in New York and a few other states, they are also helping adult victims. In fact, a New York measure that took effect last November is, in our view, perhaps the best such legal reform in the nation. It’s called the Adult Survivors Act.Īlready, the months-old measure had led to civil lawsuits being filed against Donald Trump, hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons, other high-profile figures, and, of course, predators who are not well known at all. The new law, according to The Gothamist, “allows adult survivors of sexual crimes the chance to sue their attackers or institutions that harbored them regardless of when the offense took place.” CNN explains, “Adult survivors of sexual abuse now can sue their abusers in New York – even if the statute of limitations on their claims has expired. It’s possible – or it MAY be possible, in your case – because of the collective strength and courage of survivors who have, in recent years, been increasingly successful in reforming archaic, predator-friendly state laws. Specifically, abuse victims have pushed lawmakers to extend or eliminate tight deadlines by which those who’ve been sexually assaulted must take legal action. you’ve forgiven your rapist/abuser but want to prevent future rape/abuse.it “just happened once” or “it wasn’t that bad”.you fear or suspect you won’t be believed.someone has explained to you that your statute of limitations has expired.you’ve been told by attorneys before that you have no case.you haven’t ever reported the crime to his employer or any other source.you apparently have no evidence of the crime.your rapist/molester has been deemed ‘exonerated’ by anyone else.your rapist/molester has beaten a charge or suit in a court of law.your rapist/molester is or was a very powerful individual.your rapist/molester has never been accused by anyone else.your rapist/molester has never been publicly exposed. ![]()
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