PIX11
By Spectrum News Staff
January 14, 2022
Adult survivors of sexual abuse are calling for New York state to pass a bill that would allow them to have their day in court.
The Adult Survivors Act would open a window of one year for those who were abused at age 18 and older to file a civil claim, regardless of whether the statute of limitations has expired. The Senate passed the act last year but it has not made its way past the Assembly.
The Adult Survivors Act is based on the Child Victims Act, which allowed more than 10,000 childhood sexual abuse survivors to sue their alleged abusers.
“I didn’t find the courage to come forward for 22 years after years of therapy and after extricating myself from the environment, from the industry, that harbored my abusers,” said survivor Drew Dixon.
Safe Horizon also launched a new social media campaign called Trauma Takes Time. It’s meant to raise awareness that survivors often need time to heal before coming forward with their stories.