Rep. Carol
Hagan McEntee’s (D-Dist. 33, South Kingstown, Narragansett) legislation (2019-H
5171A) that amends the state’s civil statute of limitations for childhood
sexual abuse was passed by the House of Representatives.
More specifically, the
legislation extends the statute of limitations for childhood sex abuse claims
to 35 years. Currently, the statute of limitations is seven years in
Rhode Island.
“It is unfortunate that
this bill is needed in our society because it signals that not only are our
children being sexually victimized, but even more sadly, many of these victims
will never have their day in court to face their abusers and demand
accountability for the vicious childhood assaults that have haunted their lives
– often times for decades. It is for this reason that we need to
significantly extend the statute of limitations on civil actions relating to
sexual abuse.” said Representative McEntee.
The bill would extend the statute of limitations for victims of childhood sexual abuse from seven years to 35 years.
The legislation would also extend to 35 years the statute of limitations for entities, individuals or organizations which caused or contributed to childhood sexual abuse through negligent supervision, conduct, concealment or other factors that enabled the abuse to occur.
The 35 year statute
begins at the age of 18 for the victims.
The bill also enables
victims of sex abuse to file suit against perpetrators and non-perpetrators up
to seven years from the time a victim discovered or remembered abuse had taken
place, such as through therapy as an adult or parent.
Representative McEntee
introduced this bill due to her own personal family connection to childhood
sexual abuse. Last session and this session, Representative McEntee has
accompanied her older sister, Dr. Ann Hagan Webb, to testify in favor of the
legislation.
Dr. Webb recounted her own experiences being a young survivor of childhood sexual abuse at the hands of the family parish priest.
Representative McEntee’s sister, now a psychologist specializing in counseling adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse, detailed how often it takes years, if not decades, for victims of childhood sexual assault to not only come to terms with their abuse, but also to find the strength to come forward, to name their abuser, and seek justice for the crimes perpetrated against their innocence and youth.
Dr. Webb recounted her own experiences being a young survivor of childhood sexual abuse at the hands of the family parish priest.
Representative McEntee’s sister, now a psychologist specializing in counseling adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse, detailed how often it takes years, if not decades, for victims of childhood sexual assault to not only come to terms with their abuse, but also to find the strength to come forward, to name their abuser, and seek justice for the crimes perpetrated against their innocence and youth.
Dr. Webb also explained
that because of the complex and often long healing process in regards to these
crimes, many abusers are not only never charged criminally, but they also are
shielded by statutes of limitations from having to answer for their crimes in a
civil manner.
“Victims of childhood
sexual abuse deserve justice and by passing this legislation, these brave
people who have the courage to confront their victimizers will have a chance at
justice for the crimes committed against them as children,” concluded
Representative McEntee.
The bill has been
referred to the Rhode Island Senate for consideration