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Were you sexually abused as a child by a priest, deacon or any other member of the Catholic Church? You are not alone. We are here to help abuse victims. Stand up against your abuser and help prevent this from happening to someone else. Please fill out our confidential online contact form or call Toll Free 1-866-777-2557 and an New York Sex Abuse Lawyer will get back to you within 24 hours to discuss your possible case. This is a free consultation. There is no cost to investigate and there are no legal fees unless you receive financial compensation at the end of the case. Making the call is sometimes the hardest step, but it is often a necessary step on the road to healing. Priest Sex Abuse Lawyer New York
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Please call Toll Free 1-866-777-2557 or fill out our confidential contact form and a lawyer will get back to you within 24 hours to discuss your case.
Problems and Controversies of the New York Child Victims Act
For longer than 10 years, some valiant representatives have fought to have a form of the Child Victims Act approved into New York law. This kind of bill will permit for a greatly extended statute of limitations for child sexual abuse claims, along with providing a one-year window where victims of any age can file a summons and complaint against their abusers. While it has become obvious that the strict limitations of existing New York laws governing the statute of limitations for sexual abuse are not assisting victims, this bill has continually been plagued by controversy and opposition. In June of 2017, the Child Victims Act of New York was once again killed in the Senate to the disappointment of the public, advocacy communities, and many government reps.
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There were a number of difficulties and controversies relating to this legislation that eventually prevented it from getting to be law, even though equivalent bills were passed in other states. These difficulties include but are not limited to:
Certain Private Organizations: Unlike the first Child Victims Act unveiled in 2008, the most recent version allowed for a one-year window for victims of any age to file a claim against private schools and organizations while exempting public schools. This modification was met with backlash from many entities, including the Roman Catholic Church, claiming that the legislation unfairly targets them while giving protection to abusers inside the public school system.
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Catholic Church Opposition: As one of the loudest voices in opposition to the bill, the Catholic Church has led the fight against the passing of the Child Victims Act. Timothy Cardinal Dolan claimed that this kind of bill was unjust to Catholics, and believed that the pay outs to victims that could take place due to the bill passing would effectively bankrupt the Church and prevent them from doing their charitable work. What about providing justice and holding the church accountable? If some churches go bankrupt because of bad actions, that is merely a natural consequence.
Boy Scouts of America: The Boy Scouts of America also took legal action in opposition to the passing of the Child Victims Act, which made many peoples’ heads spin. The Boy Scouts? In fact, paid lobbyist Craig Johnson, a former Senator, represented the Boy Scouts in the opposition to the bill citing very similar reasons as the Church.
The opposition to the Child Victims Act has produced considerable criticism and red flags against these organizations, and many are thinking about the ulterior motives behind opposing a bill that is meant to bring justice to those who experienced child sexual abuse. Despite the setback, controversies, and challenges faced by proponents of the bill, representatives have continued to state that they will reintroduce the legislation.
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Good news. As of this writing, Governor Cuomo has signed the Child Victims Act
This legislation:
Allows victims of sex abuse crimes to commence a civil lawsuit at any time before they reach 55 years of age
Increases the amount of time during which perpetrators of these crimes may be held criminally accountable
Provides victims whose claims have been time-barred a new opportunity for their day in court by opening a one-year window for them to commence their action;
Eliminates the need to file a notice of claim for sexual offenses committed against a minor;
Requires judicial training with respect to crimes involving the sexual abuse of minors;
Authorizes the Office of Court Administration to promulgate rules and regulations for the timely adjudication of revived actions.
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