By MICHELE M. BETTI | b&a opinions | https://bettiandassociates.com
The Minnesota Senate unanimously passed The Child Victims Act on May 8, 2013. The bill allows lawsuits to go forward against organizations and institutions such as schools and churches that covered up child sexual abuse decades ago.
The bill, which passed the House last week, passed the Senate by a vote of 66-0. All indications are Governor Mark Dayton will sign the bill.
The Child Victims Act would drop the statute of limitations for civil suits involving child sexual abuse going forward, and will create a three-year window for past victims to file lawsuits against abusers and institutions that may have failed to protect them or covered up the abuse.
Under current state law, victims of child sexual abuse must have filed a lawsuit before reaching the age of 24.
Experts have repeatedly expressed that victims of child sexual abuse have a hard time coming forward to authorities and loved ones regarding the abuse they suffered. In fact, more often victims keep abuse secret for years and decades. Additionally, victims of child sexual abuse take years to realize that sleep disorders, intimacy issues, depression, drug addiction, anxiety and other damages may stem from childhood sexual abuse.
Once the Governor signs the bill into law, victims whose statute of limitations have run, will have three years to bring their cause of action.
Copyright 2013, b&a opinions.
–Michele M. Betti of the Law Offices of Betti & Associates is an advocate for survivors of childhood sexual abuse.
