Justice for Survivors of Childhood Assault: End Statutes of Limitations

At 8 years old I was sexually assaulted by a youth minister and it's taken years to have the courage and do something while dealing with mental disorders it has caused me.

Many survivors of childhood sexual assault don’t come forward until years — even decades — after the abuse. Trauma silences us. Fear, shame, and even repressed memories keep survivors from speaking out as children.

Yet current laws in many states impose strict statutes of limitations that prevent survivors from pursuing justice once that time has passed. This means countless survivors are denied their day in court simply because they needed time to heal.

An assault is an assault. The damage doesn’t disappear with age — and neither should the chance for justice.

We demand lawmakers end (or extend) statutes of limitations for childhood sexual assault, ensuring survivors have the right to come forward when they are ready, not on a deadline that protects abusers.

Justice has no time limit. Survivors deserve to be heard.