MASSACHUSETTS
PennLive
By Ivey DeJesus | idejesus@pennlive.com
A highway exit sign triggered the flood of memories.
Rosanne Sliney was 24 years old when the sight of the exit sign unleashed a tide of memories long repressed: Her uncle sexually abusing her in his car.
She was 5. He was her mother’s brother, a beloved member of a large Italian-American family from Massachusetts, her godfather.
Roseanne Sliney was 5 years old in 1968 when her uncle began sexually molesting her. The abuse would continue for 10 years. Her story helped tip the Massachusetts Legislature in favor of reforming the statute of limitations.
Submitted
That one trigger brought back the years of abuse, the pain, shame and guilt. Her uncle did unspeakable things to the young girl – in his home, his car, his business. Rumors long circulated among her relatives, but no adult – not family member, teacher or coach – sounded the alarm. Sliney endured the horror in silence for nearly 10 years, retreating from her school studies and the conventions of teen life.
The flood of memories prompted Sliney to confront her predator. He in turn sent her a letter of apology filled with anguished remorse for what he had done. He had mistaken “sex” for love, he wrote, and had asked God for forgiveness.
Nearly two decades would pass before Sliney worked up the nerve to take the next step: In 2012 she filed a lawsuit against him. Her decision would splinter her family, but she could have little imagined that it would tip the effort to overhaul Massachusetts law.
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