NC Supreme Court holds hearings on look-back window; survivors group wants justices to support the law
For Immediate Release: September 11, 2024
On September 18, 2024, the North Carolina Supreme Court will hold hearings concerning the constitutionality of the state's civil window for survivors of child sexual abuse. SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, urges the Supreme Court to uphold the look-back legislation.
The SAFE Child Act was unanimously adopted by state legislators on October 31, 2019. It allowed victims of child sexual abuse to file lawsuits in 2020 and 2021 against their perpetrators and the organizations who employed them.
Delayed disclosure of child sexual abuse is the rule. Some trauma-informed experts say more survivors disclose between the ages of 50-70 compared to any other age group. When archaic laws limiting victims’ access to the courts are overturned or even lifted for a time, communities are safer. Knowledge about who the hidden predators and their enablers are not only helps to safeguard today’s children, the exposure of perpetrator names can also be the first step to healing for those still suffering alone and in silence.
Many of those who initiated litigation in the state have waited for decades to expose their abusers, as well as the groups that protected them. We hope that the North Carolina Supreme Court will not dash their hope for justice and accountability. We also hope that the Court will take into account the value of innocent lives that might be spared the life-long consequences of child sexual abuse if they uphold the window.
CONTACT: Carol Yeager, North Carolina SNAP ([email protected]), Sue Bailey, North Carolina SNAP ([email protected], 315-657-3446), Charles Bailey, North Carolina SNAP ([email protected], 315-657-5073), Melanie Sakoda, Survivor Support Director ([email protected], 925-708-6175), Shaun Dougherty, SNAP Board President ([email protected], 814-341-8386)
(SNAP, the Survivors Network, has been providing support for victims of sexual abuse in institutional settings for more than 35 years. We have more than 25,000 survivors and supporters in our network. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)
