LOUISVILLE (KY)
Courier Journal [Louisville KY]
December 10, 2024
By William F. McMurry
The criminal statute for failing to report suspected abuse — a misdemeanor — expires after one year. This means school officials who enable abuse by remaining silent face virtually no accountability.
The disturbing investigation published in The Courier Journal reveals an alarming pattern that parallels what I uncovered in 2002 when representing 243 survivors of clergy sexual abuse against the Archdiocese of Louisville. Twenty years later, our institutions continue enabling predators while our laws leave survivors without recourse.
The article documents at least 80 cases of alleged sexual misconduct by Kentucky school coaches in 15 years. Like the Catholic Church cases, we see the same institutional failures: turning a blind eye to warning signs, allowing abusers to quietly resign and move to new schools, and using non-disclosure agreements to maintain silence.
As I wrote last December, the science is clear — most survivors are not emotionally prepared to come forward until their 40s. Yet Kentucky’s arbitrary statute of limitations cuts off their legal rights at age 28. This serves only to protect institutions at the expense of survivors. The article highlights failed legislative attempts to strengthen protections, including House Bill 275’s death in the final hours of the 2024 session. But there’s an even more fundamental reform needed: eliminating the civil statute of limitations for child sexual abuse cases entirely.
The criminal statute for failing to report suspected abuse — a mere misdemeanor — expires after just one year. This means school administrators who enable abuse by remaining silent face virtually no accountability. Meanwhile, survivors carry the trauma for life.
When representing clergy abuse survivors, I saw firsthand how institutions prioritize their reputations and finances over children’s safety. The Courier’s investigation shows this deplorable pattern continuing in our schools. Until we remove the arbitrary time limits that shut courthouse doors on survivors, we enable this cycle to continue.
The legislature must decide: Will it protect institutions or survivors? The choice is that simple.
—William F. McMurry, 40202