April 20, 2009:Posts
Michele Betti of Betti & Associates to Attend Rally in New York State Capital in Albany to Protect New York’s Children and Support the Window to Reveal Child Predators
By MICHELE BETTI | b&A opinions April 20, 2009
New York State Lawmakers are currently considering two different civil bills relating to expired child sexual abuse claims (A2596/S2568 (the “Markey Bill”) introduced to the NY Assembly by Assemblywoman Margaret Markey, D-Queens and A5708/S3107 (the “Lopez Bill”) introduced to the NY Assembly by Assemblyman Vito Lopez, D-Brooklyn.)
Halting The Hiding Behind Statutes
California and Delaware enacted legislation that revealed almost 400 new predators to date. There is a proven method to identify hidden child predators and halt the ability of predators and their enablers from using the technicality of the statute of limitations to block meritorious child sex abuse cases.
For one year, give child sex abuse claims a window to go forward even if they are now time- barred. When the victims name the adults who made the abuse happen, and courts order the release of evidence and documents that have shielded the ugly truth from the people, New Yorkers can finally protect children from the dangerous and the callous. It is time for New York to spotlight its fugitive perpetrators and give victims justice.
When faced with a proposed change to any state’s statute of limitations involving childhood sexual abuse, survivors and advocates should ask themselves whether or not the proposed law a) serves the important purpose of uncovering secret documents about the pedophile; b) prohibits confidentiality agreements; and c) promotes survivors’ healing.
Purpose Is To Provide Justice To Victims Of Childhood Sexual Abuse.
The central purpose of these types of civil statutes should be to provide justice to survivors of childhood sexual abuse who for years have remained silent about their childhood trauma. Ultimately, every survivor, advocate and our firm Betti & Franks believes no state should have a statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse cases (like in the case of murder).
While Markey’s bill does not do away with a statute of limitations time period, it raises the age to which a victim may file a claim to 28 years old, and allows for the widespread dissemination and identification of possibly thousands of child predators.
We expect, like California, under Markey’s bill, literally thousands of pedophiles and the institutions that covered up the abuse will be revealed. Survivors will get a chance to name their predators right now and the public learns who is endangering — and has endangered — their children.
The Markey Bill should be labeled the “The Predator Identity Act.”
Copyright 2009, b&Aopinions.
