BOSTON (MA)
The Daily Free Press
By Alex Taylor
Published: Wednesday, March 15, 2006
Adult victims who suffered sex abuse as children joined with support organizations to rally outside the Statehouse steps Tuesday morning, hours before the Joint Committee on the Judiciary held a hearing on bills that would eliminate the statute of limitations on sex crimes commit against minors.
The Coalition to Reform Sex Abuse Laws in Massachusetts urged the Joint Judiciary Committee to send three bills to the legislature that would end the statute of limitations on childhood sex abuse crimes, which states victims of sexual abuse cannot raise charges against their attackers six to 15 years -- depending on the nature of the crime -- after the victim's 16th birthday.
"Sexual predators are able to hide their crimes for years with guilt and intimidation," Lt Gov. Kerry Healey said before the committee. "Sexual offenders remain active for many years and most are never caught."