Pennsylvania's Sexual Abuse Laws Leave Survivors Conflicted
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - When Pennsylvania overhauled its child sexual abuse laws this week, absent from the bill-signing ceremony were some who had worked hardest to see the changes pass.
Some sexual abuse survivors and victim advocates felt conflicted by the compromise package.
Missing was a two-year window in state law to allow now-adult victims of child sexual abuse to sue over claims that are past Pennsylvania's statute of limitations.
Senate Republicans rejected that but offered the longer process of amending the state Constitution to create a two-year window.
Now, abuse survivors and victim advocates know they have little choice but to trust lawmakers to pass a resolution to amend the constitution in 2021.
Then they may have to fend off a legal challenge or efforts to defeat it in a statewide voter referendum.
(Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
