BishopAccountability.org
 
 

Catholic Diocese, County DA Praise Passage of Child Victims Act

By Rick Pfeiffer
Niagra Gazette
January 29, 2019

https://www.niagara-gazette.com/news/local_news/catholic-diocese-county-da-praise-passage-of-child-victims-act/article_85e02e14-9bbb-55ec-8fec-90d58010ab5b.html

Bishop Malone said a prayer before speaking to the press at the Infant of Prague Church in Cheektowaga in November. Bishop Richard Malone of the Buffalo Catholic Diocese held a press conference to discuss Priests with substantiated claims of sexual abuse of a minor.

For survivor Paul Barr, the passage the long-awaited passage of the Child Victim's Act meant one thing.

"It means vindication," Barr said. "It means I get to defend 16-year-old Paulie Barr. Now I can stick up for that kid. Now (survivors of abuse at the hands of Catholic priests) get to stick up for the children we were and confront those who abused us or let us be abused."

The legislation relaxes the statute of limitations for child molestation cases to give victims more time to file lawsuits or seek criminal charges. It was approved unanimously by the the Democrat-controlled Senate and Assembly late Monday afternoon.

It had failed in previous legislative sessions because of opposition by Republican members of the State Senate. Gov. Andrew Cuomo has promised that he will sign the bill into law.

Opposition to the law from Catholic Dioceses across the state which had been strenuous in prior legislative sessions melted away on Monday.

"My gut tells me they acquiesced when they had no choice, and they made it sound like it was their idea," Barr said.

In a statement, emailed to the Gazette by a spokeswoman for the Buffalo Catholic Diocese, the New York state Catholic bishops, including Buffalo Bishop Richard Malone, said they hoped that passage of the legislation would bring "some measure of healing to all survivors."

"Sadly, we in the church know all too well the devastating toll of abuse on survivors, their families, and the extended community," the statement read. "We have long called for strengthening the Child Victims Act and will continue to advocate for the elimination of the criminal statute of limitations, compensations programs for those who prefer it to litigation, and mandatory safe environment training for anyone who works with children."

The act would extend the statute of limitations going forward and create a one-year window for civil suits now barred by the statute of limitations. The law would apply to any individual found to have been engaged in child abuse or any organization, public or private, found to have permitted child abuse to take place.

"The legislation now recognizes that child sexual abuse is an evil not just limited to one institution," the Catholic bishops insisted in their statement. "Now, we hope that this same type of survivor-centered approach, that puts the emphasis on healing, is available to all survivors, regardless of when the abuse occurred, or who their abuser was—whether it was a priest, a coach, a teacher, a doctor, or, as is all too common, a family member."

Barr doesn't believe that passage of the act will lead to a flood of civil lawsuits.

"As a practical matter, you're not going to find many lawyers who will sue individuals," he said. "You will see the suits against organizations that should have known that people in their control were abusing minors."

The legislation extends the statute of limitations for victims of child sexual abuse. Under the new law, victims can seek criminal charges against their abusers up to the age of 28. Previously, those claims had to be made by a victim's 23rd birthday.

"I think what it means for for survivors of sexual assault is they gain this extended period of time to grapple with whether they want to pursue criminal charges," Niagara County District Attorney Caroline Wojtaszek said. "We know that victims of child sex abuse often delay in disclosure. It's hard for them to come forward while they are still under the influence (of their abuser)."

Wojtaszek, a long-time supporter of the Child Victims Act, said she believed it will bring justice to victims.

"I would think so and I would hope so," she said. "The passing of this was a long time coming. I think it will hold offenders accountable."

New York Attorney General Letitia James hailed the passage of the legislation, calling it overdue.

"For far too long, too many New Yorkers have dealt with the long term physical and psychological pain of this abuse -- pain that has only been magnified by the lack of recourse and accountability," James said. "The passage of the Child Victims Act will finally provide survivors with the justice they have long deserved and will serve as a loud and clear message that child abuse will never be tolerated here.”

Members of the Niagara Region state legislative delegation all supported the act, including State Senator Robert Ortt (R-North Tonawanda).

“Today’s passage of the Child Victims Act was necessary to help those who have been abused receive their day in court," Ortt said in a written statement. "The individuals who committed these despicable acts against children must answer for their actions and the public and private institutions that allowed these acts to go unchecked should be held responsible."

 

 

 

 

 




.

 
 

Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.