Child sex abuse bill is lacking

Daily Item
April 8, 2017

http://www.dailyitem.com/opinion/child-sex-abuse-bill-is-lacking/article_3f87e7aa-7c92-5bef-88c9-b642b5f4b6f3.html

Pennsylvania lawmakers have a chance to swing a hammer regarding penalties for child abusers. Instead, they have so far chosen not to.

Legislation to alter the statute of limitations for child sex crimes is heading to the House floor following votes this week. But the bill lacks a controversial provision that would allow victims to sue institutions — such as the Catholic church — that allegedly covered up the crimes for years or decades. 

The House Judiciary Committee approved a bill that made a number of changes, but without even a discussion regarding a long-sought proposal to allow victims of child abuse to sue after the statute of limitations in their cases has expired.

The new bill would allow that moving forward, but would not make that ability retroactive.

State Rep. Mark Rozzi, D-Berks County, the leader of the movement to allow victims of old child sex crimes to sue, said he will amend the bill on the House floor. “Past victims of abuse were left out of this bill,” Rozzi said. 

It should not be lost on anyone that this legislation is moving through Harrisburg as Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention Month gets rolling.

The retroactivity portion of the bill has long been fought by the Catholic church and insurance companies, odd bedfellows to be sure. Lawmakers seem to be more concerned about them than about victims.

The National Association of Adult Survivors of Child Abuse notes that there are more than 42 million survivors of sexual abuse in America and “somewhere between two-thirds and 90 percent of sexual abuse victims never tell.”

Currently, victims have until the age of 30 to sue. Additionally, alleged sex abuse must be reported before age 50 to prompt criminal prosecutions. The Senate bill pushes the civil lawsuit window to 50 and removes the criminal prosecution deadline completely.

These are important steps forward. They will create change, eventually. 

However, it also leaves too many victims without a voice, or potential closure.