MASSACHUSETTS
WGGB
[with video]
REGION (WGGB) — A new bill has been signed into law by Governor Deval patrick that extends the statute of limitations for sex abuse victims to file lawsuits against their abusers.
A local woman, Kathy Picard, has been fighting for the change for over a decade.
For Picard, this pen used by Governor Patrick, signifies 12 years of hard nosed work.
“It’s been emotionally up and down, but now it’s awesome. It’s just truly amazing,” Picard explains.
The new statute of limitations law was signed after it unanimously passed the House and Senate. It allows any sex abuse victim up to the age of 53 to file civil charges against their alleged abuser.
“There are people that say that a survivor is not going to get day in court, let perpetrator prove that they did not do what they did.”
A victim herself from ages 7 to 17, Picard filed suit against her stepfather Thursday.
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