Opinion piece: Those abused in childhood need law to pursue justice

Letter to the editor published in The News Journal June 7, 2007

For those of us who attended prior hearings on similar legislation, the state Senate hearing on Senate Bill 29 was an epiphany. We witnessed the fact that victims of childhood sexual abuse are no longer willing to have experts and advocates testify on their behalf. Adults gave shocking testimony in numbers not previously heard in public.

Testifying on behalf of the Catholic Church was a lobbyist, who was part of the attempt to gut S.B. 29 of any significance.

The Catholic Church would deny justice to victims of child sexual abuse by not allowing the two-year look-back window for those who would otherwise be unable to bring civil lawsuits. It would also set a finite number of years as a statute of limitations on bringing civil lawsuit.

There is something terribly wrong with this position. The church sounded like a corporation, primarily concerned with possible financial damages and little thought to the pastoral healing of damaged souls.

As Catholics, we were deeply offended.

The survivors urgently need the opportunity to heal. S.B. 29 without amendment is long overdue.

Avril and John Madison, Wilmington