NEW JERSEY
The Foundation to Abolish Child Sex Abuse
Bill To Eliminate Civil Statute Of Limitations On Sex Abuse Cases Clears Judiciary Panel
NJToday.net
June 22, 2012
TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senators Joseph F. Vitale and Nicholas P. Scutari that would hold accountable in civil court child sex offenders and organizations that fail to appropriately respond to employees who commit sex crimes against children was approved Thursday by the Senate Judiciary Committee. The bill, S-1651, would remove the statute of limitations on civil child sex abuse cases, expand who is potentially liable in these actions and provide that public entities would be liable.
“Expanding the statute of limitations on sexual abuse is imperative to providing justice for the victims of these heinous crimes,” said Vitale, D-Middlesex. “The scars of sexual abuse do not heal easily, but hopefully, with time, compassion, counseling and a measure of justice, many of the victims will be able to get on with their lives. While a statute of limitations may make sense in certain civil cases, when it comes to the difficulty that victims endure to speak out about and seek justice for sexual abuse, they should be given a little more leeway. This bill makes sure that sexual abuse victims receive the time and patience needed for them to face their abusers in court.”
“Considering the psychological scars and lifelong trauma of child molestation, many of the victims are not able to process or speak about the crime until long after it has been committed and often not without extensive therapy,” said Scutari, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. “The current two-year statute of limitations is quite prohibitive in allowing for these victims to seek damages against their abusers. This law will not constrict sexual abuse victims with a meaningless timeline and will provide them with the ability to continue to seek justice and bring closure to their past abuse.”
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