What is a statute of limitations?
A statute of limitations is like a legal stopwatch that counts down the time to file criminal charges or a civil lawsuit. It is important to know when the clock starts ticking, when the clock stops ticking and whether anything restarts the clock.
What is our goal?
Our goal as an organization is to educate victims and lawmakers and promote public awareness of the varying laws in each state as well as current initiatives related to changes in the statute of limitations law.
States Leading the Fight to Protect Children from Sexual Predators
Hover over any state to see statistics about the estimated number of victims in each state and the current statute of limitation laws. Click on any state in the map to see more detailed information.
Advocating for Public Policy Changes to Hold Abusers—and the Institutions That Harbor them—Accountable
Incentivizing institutions to root out child sexual predators also requires a change in the law. Too often, institutions avoid being held accountable because the restrictive state-level statute of limitation laws prevent victims from getting justice. These narrow limitations let far too many predators off the hook and have actually incentivized institutions to cover up abuse, knowing that after just a few short years the institution can continue to cover up abuse unpunished. This is unconscionable since children suffer lifelong harm from abuse.
Zero Abuse Project advocates for changes to this fatal flaw in our legal system by advocating for legislation that would extend and reopen statutes of limitation at the state level. We are also working at the national level to establish a National Plan that would both stop child sexual abuse and implement policies to meet the needs of the millions of survivors nationwide.
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If I don’t want everyone to find out about what happened to me, can I still come forward?
The media and the press cannot let out your name on public documents especially if you’re under eighteen.
If I decide to come forward what information will I need?
Many survivors are scared to come forward during a civil window period because they think they need an inordinate amount of proof but really survivors just need their truth and their story. You know what happened so that’s when you need to talk to a good civil attorney and tell them what you know. You know who abused you you
If I bring a case, can I be countersued by my abuser?
If you file a lawsuit, is it possible that your abuser will counter sue you? Yes, but that doesn’t mean they’re gonna win. Oftentimes, it’s just a legal tactic to try and intimidate you. Trust your attorney, and they’ll be able to take actions to protect you. Oftentimes those countersuits by abusers are thrown out.
If an abuser is in my family or is a family friend, what resources exist for me to seek help or to talk to my family?
It can be difficult to talk to your family about child sexual abuse you’ve experienced in general. It’s even more complicated when the abuser is a family member or family friend. Your family members might have sympathies toward them that impede them from being sympathetic toward the abuse that you suffered. There are groups out there that can help you
I was turned down by the IRCP. Should I still call a lawyer?
Absolutely. There are numerous people turned down by IRCP that are filling civil suits. Often times the difference is that when you go into the IRCP youre not represented by a lawyer; youre just talking to the church, so when you say, When I was 10 years old, Father Jones molested me, and they say well we dont know anything
