Let’s Work Together to Eliminate the Statute of Limitations
As survivors of sexual abuse, most of us can attest to the fact that the criminal act of sexual assault, especially of a child, can take years and years to uncover. Because my abuser was a priest, the trauma overwhelmed me. I buried the truth until I was 52 years old.
That fact makes most interesting the subsequent fact that the Catholic Church and other institutions have spent millions of dollars lobbying to keep statutes of limitations in effect across the country.
These efforts to keep the statute of limitations in place do not protect children, youth or vulnerable adults. Such efforts protect perpetrators and organizational coffers, not sexual assault victims.
This is why I applaud Rep. Dan Griffey of Olympia, in his efforts to do the right thing in initiating HB1155 to end the statute of limitations on sex offenses.
Let’s get behind HB1155 and be the 18th state to eliminate the statute of limitations as regards sexual abuse. Allow rape victims to pursue charges at any point after their attack.
The full title of the bills is: Making felony sex offenses a crime that may be prosecuted at any time after its commission.
You can read the text of the bill, follow the progress of the bill through the legislature, and add your comments to the discussion at House Bill 1155.
Please join me in supporting passage of this bill to protect the rights of abuse victims. The heinous behavior of sexual predators must end.
#metoo
#timesup
This post concerns the effort in Washington State to abolish the statute of limitations on reporting of sex offenses. Other states have similar projects. If you’d like to know more about what’s going on in your state you can start with the articles on the SNAP network website. Here is a list of articles about ending the statute of limitations in various states.