Wednesday, November 13, 2024
Hawai'i Free Press

Current Articles | Archives

Thursday, January 30, 2020
Bills Would Extend Statute of Limitations for Child Molestation
By Rep Cynthia Thielen @ 2:49 AM :: 2944 Views :: Law Enforcement

Hawaii Legislature aims to extend the statute of limitations for survivors of childhood sexual abuse

News Release from Office of Rep. Cynthia Thielen January 29, 2020

Rep. Cynthia Thielen (50th District, Kailua-Kaneohe Bay) is introducing legislation to amend statutory limitations on the time period in which a survivor of childhood sexual abuse may file a civil suit. The bill also permits the court to order restorative justice measures, if deemed appropriate.

HB2177 will be heard by the House Judiciary Committee on January 30 at 2:45 pm in Capitol Conference Room 325.

The proposed legislation extends the statute of limitations to up to forty years after the 18th birthday of the childhood sexual-abuse survivor. Current Hawai'i law requires victims to report and file a lawsuit within eight years of their 18th birthday, up to the age of 26, or three years after discovering that an injury or illness during adulthood was caused by childhood sexual abuse.

Survivors of childhood sexual abuse often suppress the truth about their experiences until they reach adulthood. The delay may stem from fear, disbelief, anger, helplessness, anxiety, embarrassment, or other feelings that are not the survivors' fault.

Some studies have estimated that between 60 and 80 percent of childhood sexual abuse survivors withhold disclosure of their abuse until adulthood. The average delay is approximately 20 years, while some survivors delay disclosure for up to 50 years.

"We need to send the message to sexual abusers that they will not be safe in this state, and protect to the best of our ability the innocent children of Hawaii," said Rep. Thielen. "It is not fair that we put the burden on victims to process the psychological damage of childhood sexual abuse, and allow the inflictors of this abuse to continue to walk free among us."

###

HB2177: Text, Status

SB2316: Text, Status

Links

TEXT "follow HawaiiFreePress" to 40404

Register to Vote

2aHawaii

Aloha Pregnancy Care Center

AntiPlanner

Antonio Gramsci Reading List

A Place for Women in Waipio

Ballotpedia Hawaii

Broken Trust

Build More Hawaiian Homes Working Group

Christian Homeschoolers of Hawaii

Cliff Slater's Second Opinion

DVids Hawaii

FIRE

Fix Oahu!

Frontline: The Fixers

Genetic Literacy Project

Grassroot Institute

Habele.org

Hawaii Aquarium Fish Report

Hawaii Aviation Preservation Society

Hawaii Catholic TV

Hawaii Christian Coalition

Hawaii Cigar Association

Hawaii ConCon Info

Hawaii Debt Clock

Hawaii Defense Foundation

Hawaii Family Forum

Hawaii Farmers and Ranchers United

Hawaii Farmer's Daughter

Hawaii Federation of Republican Women

Hawaii History Blog

Hawaii Jihadi Trial

Hawaii Legal News

Hawaii Legal Short-Term Rental Alliance

Hawaii Matters

Hawaii Military History

Hawaii's Partnership for Appropriate & Compassionate Care

Hawaii Public Charter School Network

Hawaii Rifle Association

Hawaii Shippers Council

Hawaii Together

HiFiCo

Hiram Fong Papers

Homeschool Legal Defense Hawaii

Honolulu Navy League

Honolulu Traffic

House Minority Blog

Imua TMT

Inouye-Kwock, NYT 1992

Inside the Nature Conservancy

Inverse Condemnation

July 4 in Hawaii

Land and Power in Hawaii

Lessons in Firearm Education

Lingle Years

Managed Care Matters -- Hawaii

MentalIllnessPolicy.org

Missile Defense Advocacy

MIS Veterans Hawaii

NAMI Hawaii

Natatorium.org

National Parents Org Hawaii

NFIB Hawaii News

NRA-ILA Hawaii

Obookiah

OHA Lies

Opt Out Today

Patients Rights Council Hawaii

Practical Policy Institute of Hawaii

Pritchett Cartoons

Pro-GMO Hawaii

RailRipoff.com

Rental by Owner Awareness Assn

Research Institute for Hawaii USA

Rick Hamada Show

RJ Rummel

School Choice in Hawaii

SenatorFong.com

Talking Tax

Tax Foundation of Hawaii

The Real Hanabusa

Time Out Honolulu

Trustee Akina KWO Columns

Waagey.org

West Maui Taxpayers Association

What Natalie Thinks

Whole Life Hawaii