Statute of Limitations for Sexual Abuse by Priests

A New York Times editorial advocates an extension of the statute of limitations for victims of sexual abuse. It supports a proposed statute that would lift the statute of limitations for one year for all civil lawsuits for sexual abuse no matter when the abuse occurred. After a year, the statute of limitations would be restored, but would allow victims to sue up to 10 years after turning 18, instead of the current five years. This proposal follows similar measures in California and Delaware which attempt to balance the need for appropriate time limits against the need to provide civil redress for abused children.