“Among the difficult realities of child sexual abuse is that victims might need years, even decades, to come to terms with their abuse.

It isn’t until they deal with the emotional trauma of what happened to them that they then are ready to confront their abuser.

Unfortunately, our justice system is not set up to deal with this all-too-common occurrence.

Instead, there is a statute of limitations in place that only gives victims a certain amount of time to file a complaint, either civil or criminal.

If they come forward after that time period has expired, they are barred from going forward. We have seen this most prominently with accusations against priests in the Catholic Church.

This system not only does not allow victims to seek the justice they deserve, but it also protects the sexual abuser, whose identity otherwise might never become public.

This can mean allowing them to continue abusing others.

In the case of the allegations against former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky, attorneys have heard from one man who can’t press charges against Sandusky because he missed the statute of limitations cutoff by a mere nine months …”

READ THE FULL EDITORIAL:

Editorial: “Pa. statute of limitations should be altered”

“Hawaii significantly strengthened its protections against child sexual abuse last month when Gov. Neil Abercrombie signed a measureextending the statute of limitations for civil lawsuits filed by child victims. At least as important, it opens a one-time two-year window to allow victims to file suits against their abusers even if the time limit had expired under the old law.

Like similar laws in California and Delaware, the Hawaii measure recognizes some wrenching realities. It can take many years, even decades, before child abuse victims are emotionally ready to come forward and tell their stories in court. But by then, they may be barred from suing by the statute of limitations. For example, many suits against the Catholic Church have been blocked because the church’s covering up for pedophile priests made it hard for victims to come forward until long past the time limit for bringing civil claims.

“Imagine Earl Bradley times 10.

That is the reality of child abuse in Delaware, where more than 1,000 cases of suspected sexual abuse are investigated every year.

Nationally, one of every four girls and one in six boys are sexually abused before they turn 18 …”

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Delawareonline video of press conference:

Patriot-News Op-Ed 

By Rep. Thomas P. Murt

“Grand jury investigations into the recent child sex abuse scandals that have rocked Penn State and the Archdiocese of Philadelphia have placed the issue of child sex abuse onto the front burner in Pennsylvania — where it belongs.

I serve on the Child and Youth Committee and have listened to and read many hours of excruciatingly painful testimony from victims and their families describing the most heinous sexual abuse imaginable.

The institutional cover-ups and subsequent ill-treatment of victims have made these terrible situations even worse. It’s a sad day, indeed, when concern for institutional risk management trumps uncovering the truth.

I recently listened to testimony concerning two perpetrators who were Franciscan friars and who taught at Archbishop Ryan High School when I was on the faculty there. As a lifelong Catholic, a former parochial school teacher and a religious education instructor, I am filled with anguish over these incidents.

I also am a proud Penn State alumnus, and I still teach at the PSU Abington campus. I believe that Penn State is a jewel in the crown of our great commonwealth. Thus, everything I’ve learned about the Jerry Sandusky scandal and the devastation it has wrought pains me to the core.

Rather than allow myself to become protective of the alleged and convicted criminals in these institutions that I hold most dear, I am compelled by my conscience and by my office to act on behalf of the victims until the perpetrators have been punished and justice has been served.

It’s not going to be easy. But it is up to me and to all elected state officials, regardless of their affiliations, to act with integrity, strength and righteousness — right now. It’s time to open the window …” Read the full op-ed here.

Give child sex abuse victims a voice to speak up and protect kids now.