LIC Restaurateur and Child Sex Abuse Survivor Pushes for Changes to NY Law
(DNAINFO) Jeanmarie Evelly | May 12, 2017 — In the state of New York, victims of childhood sexual abuse have only until their 23rd birthdays to seek justice against their abusers — though the effects of abuse often last much longer, survivors say.
“I can tell you this is a lifelong problem,” said Shaun Dougherty, 47, a Queens restaurant owner who was molested by a priest and teacher at his Pennsylvania Catholic school starting at the age of 10.
“I’ve met 81-year-olds that cry at the drop of a hat, because they remember,” he said. “I have heard the most horrific acts done to children that you can imagine, and 78-year-old people recalling it like it happened this morning.”
Dougherty, who now runs Crescent Grill, a successful farm-to-table eatery in Long Island City, is among a group of abuse survivors fighting to change New York’s statute of limitations for sex crimes committed against children.
He and other advocates are pushing for passage of the Child Victims Act, urging lawmakers to vote on the bill — which has been languishing in the State Senate’s judiciary committee since January — before the current legislative session ends this spring.
The bill would eliminate the statute of limitations for sex crimes against children, allowing victims to pursue either criminal charges or a civil lawsuit against their abusers regardless of how long ago the case took place, as is the case for other serious charges such as murder.
“New York has one of the most restrictive statute of limitations in the nation,” said Sen. Brad Hoylman, the bill’s main sponsor. “The injustice is so clear, and really quite alarming, to think that where you are abused as a child sexually determines your ability to seek justice.”
The legislation would also allow current survivors who missed the age 23 deadline to pursue civil lawsuits against their abusers during a one-year period — or “retroactive window” — that would start 50 days after the law is signed.
Supporters say lifting the statutes of limitations is vital, as victims of childhood abuse can sometimes take years to process what happened to them before they’re ready to take action, or even talk about it.