HARRISBURG, Pa. — Hundreds of child sex abuse survivors and advocates will rally for change today in the amount of time victims have to sue their alleged abusers.
This change in the statute of limitations has been a fight for child sex abuse victims and advocates for years. Just as a constitutional amendment was set to appear on the ballot, a mistake by the state prevented it from being voted on. If the constitutional amendment were to have been voted on and passed, it would have given child sex abuse survivors a two-year retroactive window to sue their abusers. State law currently does not allow civil lawsuits to be filed by child sex abuse survivors older than 30.
Since the Pa. Dept. of State's mistake, it's back to square one.
Survivors and advocates say Sen. Majority Leader Kim Ward is preventing the legislation from being voted on by not calling it for a vote. They say the legislation has enough support from both Republican and Democratic lawmakers to pass in the state senate.
In the past, Sen. Majority Leader Ward has said: "After careful consideration, it has been determined by the majority that this matter does not meet emergency statue criteria and does not correct the failure by the Wolf Administration as it still does not property vet this matter with the public."
The rally will be held at 12 p.m. on the Capitol steps in Harrisburg.