The Child Victims Act, which went into effect this week, allows any victims of child sexual abuse in New York State to file a civil lawsuit against their abuser or a negligent institution within the next year.
Following the one year period, any victim can file a lawsuit against their abuser or a negligent institution until their 55th birthday (the age limitation was previously 23 years old).
The rationale behind the law is that victims of child sex abuse should not be penalized for not timely disclosing what occurred because of shame or fear.
