2 thoughts on “Statute of Limitations Hinders Justice and Prevention”
As Marci Hamilton stated, these laws in New York and elsewhere will change because it is the right thing to do. If we do nothing else in the public forum, all Americans can agree that we must protect our children from sexual abuse. Right now, the laws in a large majority of the states are simply inadequate both for the victim and those who will be future victims of the same pedophile since the current statute of limitations, both civilly and criminally, are unfair and unreasonable.
Why in this country and in this day and age do we still have statute of limitations when it comes to clergy sexual abuse or any sexual abuse when minors are involved ? I am not minimizing the damage of sexual abuse regarding adults. Like murder sexual abuse kills the heart, mind and soul something the survivor lives with for his/her remaining days. I have lived with being a clergy abuse survivor going on almost 40 years now and as the saying goes not a day goes by it does not enter my mind. Its a gift that my abuser gave to me that keeps on giving. Well, I did not ask for that gift,and it is NOT something I did wrong to deserve it. However, I will do my best to protect my own children and any child that walks into a catholic school from receiving the same gift I did. I was one of the lucky ones but some are not as lucky as me, there are those victims that have dealt with their pain by risky behavior, drugs and even death to force out the demons. When the statute of limitation runs out against a particular criminal the horrific pain they caused does not. We are now to believe the church is doing everything possible to protect children but why are they the biggest opponent to change of the SOL laws spending upwards of $70,000 to prevent change ? This was an amount they spent recently in California to prevent change.
As Marci Hamilton stated, these laws in New York and elsewhere will change because it is the right thing to do. If we do nothing else in the public forum, all Americans can agree that we must protect our children from sexual abuse. Right now, the laws in a large majority of the states are simply inadequate both for the victim and those who will be future victims of the same pedophile since the current statute of limitations, both civilly and criminally, are unfair and unreasonable.
Why in this country and in this day and age do we still have statute of limitations when it comes to clergy sexual abuse or any sexual abuse when minors are involved ? I am not minimizing the damage of sexual abuse regarding adults. Like murder sexual abuse kills the heart, mind and soul something the survivor lives with for his/her remaining days. I have lived with being a clergy abuse survivor going on almost 40 years now and as the saying goes not a day goes by it does not enter my mind. Its a gift that my abuser gave to me that keeps on giving. Well, I did not ask for that gift,and it is NOT something I did wrong to deserve it. However, I will do my best to protect my own children and any child that walks into a catholic school from receiving the same gift I did. I was one of the lucky ones but some are not as lucky as me, there are those victims that have dealt with their pain by risky behavior, drugs and even death to force out the demons. When the statute of limitation runs out against a particular criminal the horrific pain they caused does not. We are now to believe the church is doing everything possible to protect children but why are they the biggest opponent to change of the SOL laws spending upwards of $70,000 to prevent change ? This was an amount they spent recently in California to prevent change.