NEW YORK
Times Herald-Record
Opinion
As the end of the regular legislative session in Albany nears, John Flanagan, leader of the Republican majority in the state Senate, continues to refuse to allow to allow a vote on the Child Victims Act. This is the measure that would, as the sponsors explain, recognize the “unique character of sex crimes against children, which can have a multitude of effects upon victims, including being justifiably delayed in otherwise timely taking action against their abusers and/or those who facilitated in their abuse.”
The bill would acknowledge in New York the universally acknowledged dilemma that child victims often take years to understand what happened to them and even more time to get the courage to speak about it and press charges. By extending the statute of limitations for such crimes in the future, the bill would bring New York into line with other states which have adopted this humane and civilized approach.
Recognizing that this change would not help victims of previous abuse, it also would open a one-year window in which those making allegations could get a chance to have their day in court.
The Assembly approved the bill by an overwhelming margin, 139 to 7, the kind of result that is unprecedented in all but the most noncontroversial issues.
Yet Flanagan stalls and seems to be hoping that he can continue to keep the vote from coming to the Senate floor, effectively condemning the victims of child sexual abuse to another year of waiting.
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