MASSACHUSETTS
WWLP
Christine Lee, 22News State House Correspondent
BOSTON, Mass. (WWLP) – Kathy Picard of Ludlow and Lisa Foster of Longmeadow are among a group of child sex abuse survivors turned advocates, demanding that Massachusetts eliminate the statute of limitations that protects their abusers from facing justice in a court of law. Together, Picard and Ludlow lobbied support from lawmakers Wednesday at the Massachusetts State House.
“Our laws shouldn’t be protecting the abusers. They should be ensuring that the victims get to have their say and their justice when they are able to seek it,” said Foster.
The statute of limitations puts a time limit on when an accused child abuser can be criminally prosecuted. In 2006, Picard played a role in extending the time limit from 15 to 27 years past a victim’s 16th birthday, or from when a sex crime is first reported. In both cases, she was a year past the deadline.
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