Advocates call for Missouri to join other states in lifting time limits on child sex abuse lawsuits

ST. LOUIS (MO)
St. Louis Post-Dispatch

October 6, 2019

By Nassim Benchaabane

Missouri should join a move by other states to change the statute of limitations that keeps survivors of long-ago child sexual abuse from suing former priests, victims’ advocates say.

Removing the limitation, or temporarily reviving expired cases, would be the “most effective short-term step” lawmakers could take to help victims — the vast majority of whom struggle with trauma for decades before they are able to report the abuse — as well as uncover other abuses, said David Clohessy, of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests.

“There are predators who remain under the radar around kids, despite having hurt many, simply because they’ve run out the clock,” he said.

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