How Can Survivors Influence Legal Reforms for Sexual Abuse Laws?

Survivors can successful influence legal reforms for sexual abuse and advocate for extended statutes of limitations, stricter rules for institutional liability, and lookback windows for previously expired claims.

Filing a lawsuit and being public about your case can raise awareness for sexual abuse in your area. Survivors sometimes have the opportunity to give legislative testimony on potential legal reforms, providing legislators with better insight into how changes could benefit victims. Legal reforms to sexual abuse laws aren’t always retroactive, and our lawyers can see if recent changes in your state affect your claim in any way.

For your free case evaluation from our sexual abuse victim lawyers, call The Law Office of Andrew Shubin now at (814) 826-3586.

What Can Survivors Do to Influence Legal Reforms for Sexual Abuse?

Survivors who file lawsuits and seek justice for sexual abuse and raise awareness in other ways may positively influence legal reforms for sexual abuse.

File a Lawsuit for Awareness

By filing and winning civil claims, victims can bring more awareness to the prevalence of sexual abuse. Going through a public trial may bring more attention to sexual abuse and contribute to the conversation about the need for legal reform in your state than settling the case privately would.

If you win at trial, the defendant is found legally liable for the sexual abuse you endured. If you settle your case, that does not necessarily mean the defendant is accepting liability or taking responsibility for what happened to you. Settling a case is still a positive outcome, and survivors should not force themselves through trials if re-traumatization will be too extreme.

Give Legislative Testimony

When state legislatures are considering legal reforms for sexual abuse, such as extending the statute of limitations or opening a temporary lookback window for a few years, testimony from victims about their first-hand experiences can be very powerful.

The purpose of legislative testimony is to influence public policy, not to determine liability or guilt, so it will be a different experience from testifying in a lawsuit. Instead of our lawyers or a defendant’s, legislators will ask you questions during legislative testimony.

Involvement in Victim Advocacy Groups

Survivors may also become part of victim advocacy groups and assume a very active role in pushing for legal reforms in their states. Organizing on a larger scale and contributing to a grassroots movement for legal reform may have an undeniable effect on your legislators.

Advocacy groups often educate lawyers bringing cases, legislators writing legislation, and others advocating for survivors’ rights. This helps make sure these paths for advocacy are coordinated and actually serve survivors’ interests.

Avoid Signing NDAs

If you sign a non-disclosure agreement when you settle a sexual abuse lawsuit, you might be unable to speak about your experience publicly, raise awareness, or advocate for legal reforms in the future in the way you want. Do not sign any confidentiality agreement without having our attorneys review it to make sure you aren’t silenced after your case resolves.

What Legal Reforms for Sexual Abuse Can Survivors Influence?

Survivors can influence changes to the statute of limitations for civil lawsuits, lookback windows, and stricter joint liability rules.

Changes to the Statute of Limitations

Extending or eliminating the statute of limitations can give survivors the time they need to feel ready to bring a claim. Most states have longer statutes of limitations for child sexual abuse claims, but they still might not be long enough for victims to get justice. Some states have eliminated the statute of limitations for child sexual abuse lawsuits, and others can do the same with legal reforms.

If a change to the statute of limitations in your state is retroactive and your claim expired under the previous statute of limitations, you can still file a lawsuit. If the change is not retroactive, expired claims remain expired, and there is no restored right to sue.

Lookback Windows for Expired Claims

Several states have opened temporary lookback windows so victims with expired child sexual abuse claims have another opportunity to sue as adults. Lookback windows are open only for a specific period, generally 1 to 3 years. Once the lookback window closes, so does the opportunity for victims with expired claims to sue.

Stricter Rules for Joint Liability

Stricter rules for joint liability can make it easier for victims of sexual abuse to hold employers and institutions liable for all of their damages. Otherwise, victims may only recover the portion of their damages attributable to each defendant from each defendant. If the individual abuser is found mostly liable, that could limit your recovery more than if you could seek full compensation from the institution.

Top FAQs About Legal Reforms for Sexual Abuse

Are Legal Reforms for Sexual Abuse Always Retroactive?

Legal reforms for sexual abuse are not always retroactive, meaning they apply to claims that expired under the previous statute of limitations. If your claim previously expired, our sexual abuse victim lawyers can determine whether new laws in your state restore your right to sue.

What Are Common Legal Reforms for Sexual Abuse?

Common legal reforms for sexual abuse that survivors and victim advocacy groups fight for include lengthening the statute of limitations, eliminating the statute of limitations, opening lookback windows, expanding institutional liability, and even redefining the standards for consent.

How Achievable Are Legal Reforms for Sexual Abuse?

Many states have been actively updating their laws surrounding sexual abuse in recent years, especially cases involving children. Achieving legal reforms is possible, though some are more achievable than others, depending on the current law.

How Can Your Lawyer Help You Influence Legal Reforms for Sexual Abuse?

Our lawyers can help you in your goal to influence legal reforms for sexual abuse by raising awareness and filing a strong and successful sexual abuse lawsuit on your behalf.

Call Us About a Sexual Abuse Lawsuit

The Law Office of Andrew Shubin at (814) 826-3586 for a free case review from our sexual abuse victim lawyers.