In a world of 8.1 billion people, miraculously we are all unique. That being said, everyone handles trauma differently. With sex abuse victims, some may repress or dissociate memories for an unmarked period of time. Others might remember every detail and take action for justice soon after.
Thankfully, New York[1] and other states have opened the courthouse doors to victims whose time to sue may have been previously barred. The Child Victims Act keeps the courts open through August 14, 2021.[2] In the first eight months of the Child Victims Act, nearly 1,800 cases were already being filed in New York.
For those of younger age, some clinicians say that childhood trauma may lead to memory storage and retrieval.[3] The time it takes to retrieve this unfortunate life-changing experience is determined by the victims themselves which they might not even know is coming.
With the ongoing and prevalent culture of sexual abuse and harassment in our society, it has called attention to a law on eliminating the previous statute of limitations.
The Courts Are Open For Sex Abuse Victims Litigation
This gives the victims more time to come to terms with the trauma that they have experienced and hopefully seek justice. Currently, there have been hundreds of lawsuits being filed against catholic churches. This is tragic for victims of churches, as it is supposed to be a place of ‘innocence and holiness’. So far there are hundreds of priests accused of sexual abuse in NYC, but there are more than 5,800 abusers nationwide.[4]
During these critical windows for sex abuse victims, there has been a flood of lawsuits including the current likely targets such as; Catholic Churches, Boy Scouts, schools, and the infamous deceased financier, Jeffrey Epstein.[5] Moreover, The Rockville Centre diocese is the latest of more than 20 Catholic dioceses in the nation to file for bankruptcy in the face of lawsuits over sexual abuse.[6]
For the courageous survivors who have come forward with such an incredibly difficult experience to share and seek justice for, I applaud you. Victims should all have their rightful day in court, so I encourage all to take advantage of this momentous time to show the courageous survivor you are in our state of New York.
Seek Justice for Your Sexual Abuse
Many victims have begun to speak with law firms to discuss their options with respect to filing sex abuse lawsuits. If you have experienced any act of sexual abuse, now is the best time to speak with an experienced sexual abuse attorney who has experience in representing victims suffering from sex abuse trauma. Our abuse attorneys have successfully represented victims in many sex abuse cases including one of Harvey Weinstein. Consider calling our office at 212-684-1880 or use our contact form online. Alongside, we will protect your rights, seek healing, and find justice.
[1] https://legislation.nysenate.gov/pdf/bills/2019/S2440
[2] https://nypost.com/2020/05/27/ny-lawmakers-approve-extra-year-to-file-child-victims-act-suits/
[3] https://www.apa.org/topics/trauma/memories
[4] https://patch.com/new-york/new-york-city/hundreds-nyc-catholic-clergy-accused-sex-abuse-full-list
[5] https://www.radio.com/1010wins/articles/flurry-suits-emerge-ny-opens-door-old-abuse-claims
[6] https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8794613/NY-diocese-files-bankruptcy-amid-clergy-abuse-lawsuits.html
