June 5, 2018

Pledge your support for survivors of childhood sexual abuse today. National research shows that one in four girls and one in six boys are sexually abused in this country each year. Yet despite this alarming prevalence, New York ranks alongside Alabama and Mississippi as offering the shortest window for justice for childhood sexual abuse survivors.

New York’s antiquated and ineffective statutes of limitations effectively allow abusers to run out the clock. Currently, most survivors only have until the age of 23 to either bring criminal charges or seek civil damages against their abusers, or lose their opportunity forever. The good news? State legislation known as the Child Victims Act would reform these outdated laws, giving survivors more time to seek justice.

Tell Governor Cuomo and Legislative Members: Don’t let abusers run out the clock — hold them accountable for their actions. I stand with survivors of childhood sexual abuse, and I am asking you to pass the real Child Victims Act!

There are only a few weeks left to New York’s legislative session so the time to act is now. Sign today and stand with survivors.

Open Letter to Albany Lawmakers

We, the undersigned individuals and groups, write to urge your immediate support for and passage of the Child Victims Act.

A new law must contain these essential components:

• Prospectively extend the statute of limitations for survivors of childhood sexual abuse seeking civil proceedings;
• Prospectively extend the statute of limitations entirely for survivors of childhood sexual abuse seeking criminal charges;
• Create a one-year retrospective window to allow adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse to seek civil damages; and
• Eliminate the 90-day notice of claim for bringing civil litigation against public institutions.

It is unconscionable that abusers continue to escape justice due to New York’s antiquated and overly rigid statute of limitation laws. Far too many abusers have never had to answer for their heinous crimes committed against children.

New York currently ranks as one of the four WORST states in the nation in this area of law. We are not asking for radical change. We are simply asking our state to catch up to the rest of the country.

We urge the New York State Legislature to stand up for children and pass long-overdue statute of limitation reform without further delay.