New York will temporarily set aside its time limit for adults who were sexually assaulted to bring lawsuits under a law signed Tuesday — a measure similar to one for child victims that sparked a surge of court actions.
The Adult Survivors Act signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul will open a one-year “window” for claims that would otherwise be barred by the state’s usual statute of limitations for lawsuits. The window will open in six months.
Jennifer Freeman, of the Marsh Law Firm, said it’s possible some adults might be hesitant to move forward in court knowing defendants are likely to claim there was consent — which is not an issue in cases involving children. But Freeman, who has represented hundreds of sex abuse survivors, said it’s also possible some adults would be more prepared to move forward.
“A 45-year-old perhaps has a larger voice and ability to center themselves and bring on a claim versus someone who was sexually abused at age 6 when they really had a very difficult time processing what happened to them,” Freeman said.
