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Child sex abuse victims call on Cuomo to help pass bill that would let them win justice as session's end looms

By Kenneth Lovett
New York Daily News
June 14, 2017

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/child-sex-abuse-victims-call-cuomo-pass-legislation-article-1.3247160

Kathryn Robb, who was abused by her eldest brother at age 9, stands in the State Assembly chamber where she met with legislators and staff to push for passage of the Child Victims Act in May 2016.
Photo by Jefferson Siegel

Child Victims Act sponsors Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal and Sen. Brad Hoylman march across the Brooklyn Bridge with almost 100 other marchers to tell Albany legislators to pass the Child Victims Act on June 4.
Photo by Jefferson Siegel

The Assembly last week passed a version of the Child Victims Act that would allow survivors to bring civil cases up until their 50th birthdays and felony criminal cases until their 28th birthdays.
Photo by Jefferson Siegel

Gov. Cuomo included the Child Victims Act in his State of the State address in January.
Photo by Theodore Parisienne

ALBANY — Child sex abuse survivors and advocates on Wednesday issued a call to Gov. Cuomo to convene a meeting with legislative leaders to hash out a deal on the Child Victim's Act.

"With less than a week to go until the end of the 2017 legislative session, time is running out for survivors of childhood sexual abuse in their fight for justice," the 28 victims and advocacy groups said in a statement obtained by the Daily News.

"If the governor is serious about justice for survivors, he needs to convene a leaders meeting and hammer out the Child Victims Act now."

The legislation would raise or eliminate the legal timeframes that adult victims of child abuse can bring criminal and civil cases. It would also treat public and private institutions the same when it comes to child sex abuse.

Supporters also want a one-year window that would allow old cases currently time-barred under law to be revived — perhaps the biggest obstacle to a bill getting done.

In their statement, the survivors and advocates said they've seen Cuomo “stand up against powerful institutional opponents before and break logjams in the Legislature with decisive action, so we know he can lead here too if he chooses. It is no longer enough to have meetings that don't deliver, while survivors fight openly on the frontlines.”

They added that “the governor put the Child Victims Act on the agenda in his January State of the State address. Six months later it's long past due to bring legislative leaders together and get it done. History will judge the results, not the rhetoric.”

Among the survivors signing on to the statement are Bridie Farrell, Mary Ellen O'Loughlin, Kat Sullivan, Melanie Blow, Andrew Willis, Ana Wagner, and Connie Altamirano.

SafeHorizon, the Stop Abuse Campaign, Call To Action, Foundation for Survivors of Abuse, and Clergy for Child Victims are some of the groups that are also calling for Cuomo to convene a meeting on the issue with legislative leaders.

A Cuomo spokesman had no immediate comment.

The Assembly last week passed a version of the Child Victims Act that would allow survivors to bring civil cases up until their 50th birthdays and felony criminal cases until their 28th birthdays. Currently, they have until their 23rd birthdays to bring cases.

The Assembly bill sponsored by Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal (D-Manhattan) also includes the one-year window to revive old cases and treats public and private institutions the same. Currently, those abused in a public setting like a school have just 90 days from the incident occurring to formally file an intent to sue.

It's the first time since 2008 the Assembly has passed the Child Victims Act.

The Senate, which is is controlled by the Republicans, has never passed the measure.

In the Senate, the Assembly version of the Child Victims Act— a tougher one — is sponsored by Sen. Brad Hoylman (D-Manhattan).

Sen. Jeffrey Klein, who heads a breakaway group of eight Democrats aligned with the GOP, introduced his own bill that would do away with the statute of limitations on civil and criminal child sex abuse cases and treat public and private institutions the same.

But Klein's version of the one-year window to re-open old cases would include the creation of a five-member commission that would determine whether a person's case is warranted or frivolous.

A number of advocates are backing Klein's bill, though some remain opposed.

But a bill won't make it to the floor without the GOP majority allowing it.

Senate GOP spokesman Scott Reif had no comment on Wednesday about the call for a leader's meeting, but said on Tuesday "we take this issue very seriously and it continues to be reviewed."




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