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	Survivors of Child Sex Abuse Ask for Extending Statute of Limitations By Alissa Smith Virginia Statehouse News January 28, 2011 http://virginia.statehousenewsonline.com/2757/survivors-of-child-sex-abuse-ask-for-extending-statute-of-limitations/ Victims of sexual abuse are at odds with the Virginia Catholic Conference over how much time those victims should have to seek legal recourse. The House of Delegates on Thursday approved a bill would do just that, and the Senate is considering a simliar bill that would grant victims even more time to seek justice in a civil court. Under current law, the statute of limitiations is two years to file any civil lawsuit. "This is not a Catholic issue, " said Doug Smith, executive director of Virginia Interfaith Association. "Virginia should never deny victims access to courts." Two abuse victims, Becky Ianni, chair of Virginia Chapter of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, and Dr. Mark McAllister of Roanoke spoke at a news conference adding their support for increasing the statute of limitations from the proposed eight years as in the House bill to 20 years as written in the Senate bill.. Smith said eight years is too short, but he said least 15 years is necessary. Jeff Caruso, executive director of the Virginia Catholic Conference, said that the conference's church leaders express their 'profound regret' in regards to all situations involving child sexual abuse. Increasing the statute of limitations to eight years is reasonable, he said, but the Conference would oppose anylonger period. Camille Cooper, of the National Association to Protect Children, said she would prefer that, like Wyoming, Virginia not set a statute of limitations for child sex abuse, though the 20-year limit would put Virginia in the Top 10. Cooper said the bill does not mention any religions or particular group but simply extends the priod that a victim may sue.She said that there was no reason for the Catholic Conference to become involved with this bill and had asked them not to become involved. Ianni said she decided to speak out about her abuse because she realized she was not the last to have been abused and that other children were hurt after her. Most abuse victims do not come forward to disclose their abuse until they are middled-aged, and rarely do people feel comfortable speaking about it publicly, McAllister said. Delegate David Albo, R-Fairfax, who is sponsoring the bill in the House, said he hopes that with the Senate’s limit the House will increase the number of years in their bill. The statute would begin at the time of the child reaching majority or when repressed memories resurface.
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