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Thursday, April 18, 2013

ADVOCATES ACROSS THE STATE JOIN ASSEMBLYWOMAN MARKEY IN THE FIGHT TO GET THE "CHILD VICTIMS ACT" PASSED





ALBANY, NY, April17, 2013


- Assemblywoman Margaret Markey At a press conference held here in Albany April 17,2012
to report on her new expanded Child Victims Act that will completely eliminate the criminal and civil statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse offenses.

to report on her new expanded Child Victims Act that will completely eliminate the criminal and civil

The program was held in conjunction with a Lobby Day Which now has 40 co-sponsors in the Assembly. The Senate bill is S3809.There is no limit on what is a life-time of suffering and anguish for so many victims of child sexual There is no limit on what is a life-time of suffering and anguish for so many victims of child sexual abuse said Assemblywoman Markey



 Institutions and organizations that have deliberately protected and hidden perpetrators. Their actions make it possible for pedophiles to continue to        prey on new victims."


The Assemblywoman announced a new initiative today to press for passage of the legislation. It is


state-wide campaign, "Family & Friends of Survivors", family members of child
to visit every member of the Assembly and State Senate in their 
offices

Among the speakers at the program were representatives of organizations announcing their support for the legislation



Mrs. Mary DeSantis
MS MARY DeSANTIS      RABBI YOSEF BLAY

of Niskayuna, NY, mother of survivor Michael DeSantis.

Julie Kay 
Foundation for Women 


 


PROFESSOR MARCI HAMILTON

author and expert on the changes 
 underway across America to update archaic statute of limitations codes in all states 





MARK MEYER APPEL



PRESIDENT OF THE VOICE OF JUSTICE
 reported on the nechemia weberman caseof sex abuse on a minor and on victim intimidation in the Orthodox Jewish community .We must have the child victims act enacted in New York state.N.Y is behind all states in legislation protecting our children said Appel.








Rabbi Nuchem Rosenberg, who was assaulted over his support for a young Brooklyn woman abused by a rabbi in a sex abuse case talks about his personal fight for justice




























































































































































































































Several speakers reported about their testimony before a public hearing of the Assembly Codes



Committee on childhood sexual abuse in March. They included:




Christopher Anderson,

















Director of .the Male Survivor organizations



Melanie Blow of the Prevent Child Abuse America

Also speaking was attorney






















Tina Weber, who was involved in a landmark case
where seven New Yorkers had to take their accusations of abuse against a priest to the courts in

















Massachusetts to get justice. The 2011 conviction was recently upheld on appeal.

In announcing the "Family & Friends for Survivors" group, Assembywoman Markey and Mary DeSantis said: "Child sex abuse not only has a life-long impact on the child who has been assaulted,













but also on the entire family. Because of the burden a child carries as a result of their abuse many












suffer problems as they are growing up and later in life. The entire family is affected as a result of that abuse to Albany from all across New York State on June 4-5 to tell our representatives that we want them to


They said that mothers and other family members of child sex abuse survivors are pledging to come

to Albany from all across New York State on June 4-5 to tell our representatives that we want them to



























The Child Victims Act legislation, A 1771, has been adopted by the Assembly four times since 2006,


but has not yet advanced in the State Senate. It would completely eliminate the criminal and civil


statute of limitations for child sex abuse crimes in New York State (which now expires only 5 years


after a victim turns 18) and also completely suspend the civil statute of limitations for one year to



































































































































to Albany from all across New York State on June 4-5 to tell our representatives that we want them to



act now to change the statute of limitations codes by enacting the Child Victims Act.



The Child Victims Act legislation, A 1771, has been adopted by the Assembly four times since 2006,



but has not yet advanced in the State Senate. It would completely eliminate the criminal and civil



statute of limitations for child sex abuse crimes in New York State (which now expires only 5 years


after a victim turns 18) and also completely suspend the civil statute of limitations for one year to


provide justice for older victims and unmask abusers and those who have hidden them.


Assemblywoman Markey  said: "Eight years ago, I first introduced the Child Victims Act of


NewYork to extend the statute of limitations for child sexual abuse for an extra five years


Beyond current law." That bill would have extended the time for a victim to come forward


with allegations of abuse to the age of 28. "Even though we were aware that so many

victims of abuse are not able to come to grips with what happened to


them until they
older, we thought that modest extension would be a good first step toward a more equitable law
























"Over the past few years we have seen shocking new revelations about child sex abuse emerge in
the U.S. and around the world. They clearly demonstrate why adding a few years to the statute of limitations is no longer enough. These include incidents involving Penn State and SyracuseUniversities, Sesame Street, the Boy Scouts, the Diocese of PhiladelphiaHorace Mann School, and Yeshiva University High School.What we are inadequate, but that real justice
is that the current law is not just woefully

requires more than a modest extension of statutes of limitations. That is why my new legislation nowseeks to completely eliminate the criminal and civil statute of limitations for child sex abuse crimes in New York State."
As with previous versions of the Child Victim's Act, this 2013 legislation includes a one-year "window"that completely suspends the civil statute of limitations for old crimes. Assemblywoman Markey
explained, "This is how we make it possible for older victims i














"






.


"What we are leinadequate, but that real justice
seeks to completely eliminate the criminal and civil statute of limitations for child sex abuse crimes in


New York State."


As with previous versions of the Child Victim's Act, this 2013 legislation includes a one-year "window"


that completely suspends the civil statute of limitations for old crimes. Assemblywoman Markey


explained, "This is how we make it possible for older victims in earlier cases to receive a measure of


justice and how we expose perpetrators whose crimes have been hidden."


















































































 
































































































n



































J. McGrath is President of Call to Action Metro-NY Chapter, a Catholic lay organization.






























~e



































Among press conference speakers were Cardozo Law School

 Professor Marci Hamilton, author and


expert on the changes underway across America to update archaic statute of limitations codes in


nany states. Hamilton has created a website that tracks SOL reform activities state-by-


;state. It may be accessed at  www.SOL-Reform.com.



Mark Meyer Appel,PRESIDENT OF The Voice OF JUSTICE reported on the weberman case and on victim intimidation in the Orthodox Jewish community
 
































































Rabbi Nachum Rosenberg, who was assaulted over his support for a young Brooklyn






























woman victim who bravely testified in a successful case against a religious counselor who raped her.


Several speakers reported about their testimony before a public hearing of the Assembly Codes


Committee on childhood sexual abuse in March. They included:



Christopher Anderson, Executive






























Director of .the Male Survivor





organization; and Melanie Blow of the Prevent Child Abuse America






























New York chapter. Also speaking was attorney



Tina Weber, who was involved in a landmark case






























where seven New Yorkers had to take their accusations of abuse against a priest to the courts in


Massachusetts to get justice. The 2011 conviction was recently upheld on appeal.


In announcing the "Family & Friends for Survivors" group, Assembywoman Markey and Mary


DeSantis said: "Child sex abuse not only has a life-long impact on the child who has been assaulted,


but also on the entire family. Because of the burden a child carries as a result of their abuse many


suffer problems as they are growing up and later in life. The entire family is affected as a result of that

abuse."

They said that mothers and other family members of child sex abuse survivors are pledging to come

to Albany from all across New York State on June 4-5 to tell our representatives that we want them to

act now to change the statute of limitations codes by enacting the Child Victims Act.

The Child Victims Act legislation, A 1771, has been adopted by the Assembly four times since 2006,

but has not yet advanced in the State Senate. It would completely eliminate the criminal and civil

statute of limitations for child sex abuse crimes in New York State (which now expires only 5 years

after a victim turns 18) and also completely suspend the civil statute of limitations for one year to

provide justice for older victims and unmask abusers and those who have hidden them.

Assemblywoman Markey said: "Eight years ago, I first introduced the Child Victims Act of

NewYork to extend the statute of limitations for child sexual abuse for an extra five years

Beyond current law." That bill would have extended the time for a victim to come forward

with allegations of abuse to the age of 28. "Even though we were aware that so many

victims of abuse are not able to come to grips with what happened to them until they are

older, we thought that modest extension would be a good first step toward a more equitable

law."

"Over the past few years we have seen shocking new revelations about child sex abuse emerge in

the U.S. and around the world. They clearly demonstrate why adding a few years to the statute of

limitations is no longer enough. These include incidents involving Penn State and Syracuse

Universities, Sesame Street, the Boy Scouts, the Diocese of Philadelphia, the BBC, Poly Prep Day

School, Horace Mann School, and Yeshiva University High School.

"What we are learning is that the current law is not just woefully inadequate, but that real justice

requires more than a modest extension of statutes of limitations. That is why my new legislation now

seeks to completely eliminate the criminal and civil statute of limitations for child sex abuse crimes in

New York State."

As with previous versions of the Child Victim's Act, this 2013 legislationincludes a one-year "window"

that completely suspends the civil statute of limitations for old crimes. Assemblywoman Markey

explained, "This is how we make it possible for older victims in earlier cases to receive a measure of

justice and how we expose perpetrators whose crimes have been hidden."