My father was a victim of childhood sexual abuse. In 1969, he was sodomized by his boy scout leader, a man who later became a fire chief and was convicted of criminal sexual conduct on more than three victims nearly two decades later. For years, my father remained silent about his ordeal, living with the pain and trauma that made him distant and emotionally unavailable. It took him almost 60 years to confide in anyone again - after being dismissed as a liar when he initially spoke up about the abuse.

My father's abuse has had a profound impact on my life as well. I grew up with a man who was constantly struggling with anger, depression, and addiction. I never understood why he was so angry all the time, but now I know that it was because of the trauma he had experienced.

I am now 34 years old, and I am still dealing with the fallout from my father's childhood sexual abuse. I have struggled with anxiety and depression, and I have difficulty forming healthy relationships. I know that if my father had been able to seek justice and compensation for what happened to him, I would be a much happier and healthier person today.

This is not just my father's story; it's the story of countless victims in Michigan who have been denied justice due to our state's restrictive statute of limitations law for childhood sexual abuse cases. Currently, this law prevents many survivors from filing civil lawsuits against their abusers if too much time has passed since the incident.

According to RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network), an average of 63% percent of child sexual abuses are never reported to authorities. This silence is often due to fear or shame or because it takes survivors years – sometimes even decades – to fully process what happened.In fact, the average age of disclosure for childhood sexual abuse is 52 years old.

This means that many survivors of childhood sexual abuse are unable to seek justice or compensation for the damages they have suffered because of the statute of limitations. This is unfair and unjust.

We need your help now more than ever! We urge you to support our cause and demand that Michigan lawmakers extend the statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse victims so they can file civil lawsuits against their abusers no matter how long ago the abuse occurred. This change will provide survivors with more time that they need to come forward and seek justice. Again, We desperately urge the Michigan Legislature to pass legislation that would extend the statute of limitations to give survivors more time to come forward and hold their abusers accountable.

Please sign this petition today; let us give these brave individuals an opportunity for healing and justice they rightfully deserve and show your support for survivors of childhood sexual abuse