By David Klepper
ALBANY (AP) — New York legislation to relax one of the nation's most
restrictive statutes of limitations on child molestation victims
continues to stall under pressure from the Roman Catholic Church and
other opponents.
The bill has circled the drain in Albany for a
decade, but victims and advocates are optimistic this year because
they've gained a key supporter, Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo. The fate
of the Child Victims Act could rest with Senate Leader John Flanagan, a
Long Island Republican, who supporters say has refused to meet to
discuss the bill.
"They are denying
us our day in court," said Bridie Farrell, 35, a former competitive
speed skater and a leading advocate for the bill.
Four years ago Farrell publicly accused a former
teammate and mentor of repeatedly abusing her when he was 33 and she was
15 — too long ago to file charges or a civil suit. "They are protecting
the institutions of the abusers," she said.
Currently, under New York law, victims of child
sexual abuse have until age 23 to bring either criminal charges or file a
lawsuit against their alleged abusers. It's one of the tightest
statutes of limitations in the country, a distinction that advocates say
puts New York in the company of states like Georgia, Mississippi,
Alabama and Michigan.
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Source: timesunion.com (via The Empire Report)
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