Cuomo and Legislators Celebrate New Child Victims Law, as They Praise the Daily News

By Shanika Carlies

 

On Thursday, in the Manhattan newsroom of the Daily News, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the New York Child Victims Act into law.

This day marked a special occasion in the lives of the victims who experienced sexual abuse in their childhood. It also was a day to celebrate for the governor, other politicians and activists who advocated for this law to be passed in New York State.

The fight to get the Child Victims Act passed took a total of thirteen years. Today, many people celebrated the long-awaited victory.

“The bill rights the wrongs that went unacknowledged and unpunished…Today says justice is done,” Cuomo said.

The Child Victims Act gives more power to the victims of childhood sexual abuse in reporting the crimes and even in suing the perpetrators.

The New York Child Victims Act accomplishes the following things:

1. It extends New York State’s statute of limitations, which gives victims up until the age of 28 to press criminal chargers to their abusers for felony cases. The previous age limit was 23.

2. It allows victims to file civil actions against their abusers, and the institutions that enabled them, until the age of 55.

3. Open a one year, one-time only period to seek out civil action, no matter how long ago the abuse occurred.

Copious congratulatory remarks were made throughout the bill signing ceremony, with much of the congratulations going to the Daily News. The newspaper advocated early on for this bill to be passed, and it shed light in its articles on the abuses children have faced over time, without proper recognitions of the pain they were caused.

Marcy Hamilton, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania and leader of the non-profit Child USA, which she dedicates to the cause of child sexual abuse, praised the Daily News’s involvement in this issue.

“The editorial board of the New York Daily News was absolutely amazing,” she said. “There was never a moment where they did not want to cover this issue. We are so grateful to you because the truth changes the world.”

Cuomo and lawmakers hope this act can encourage more survivors to come out and seek justice, even though they know it can be hard to do so right away after a traumatic experience.

“Now the clock begins to tick, for those who were harmed as children,” said Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal. “New York stands with you today no matter your decision. We stand with you every day on your journey, and we honor your courage.”