Reviver statutes: States open the window to previously time-barred childhood sexual abuse claims

Recent legislation in New York will open a window of time to file previously barred sexual abuse claims.

Victims whose abuse occurred long ago often have limited legal recourse because their claims are time-barred by state statutes of limitation. However, following a 2001 exposé of sexual abuse in the Catholic Archdiocese of Boston, victims’ rights groups began lobbying states to amend their laws to allow victims to file otherwise time-barred claims. Initially only a few states responded, but as public awareness grew, more states followed.