"The Child Victims Act brought a long-needed pathway to
justice for people who were abused, and helps right wrongs that went
unacknowledged and unpunished for far too long and we cannot let this pandemic
limit the ability for survivors to have their day in court," Governor
Cuomo said. "As New York continues to reopen and recover from a public
health crisis, extending the look back window is the right thing to do and will
help ensure that abusers and those who enabled them are held accountable."
Last year, Governor Cuomo signed the Child Victims Act to
ensure survivors of childhood sexual abuse have a path to justice, including
the ability to file a case which had already been time-barred or expired for a
one-year period. That window to file an expired or time-barred case was set to
close August 14, 2020, but had been extended until January by Executive Order
on May 8.
The Child Victims Act:
-Increases the amount of time during which perpetrators of
these crimes may be held criminally accountable;
-Allows victims of these crimes to commence a civil lawsuit
at any time before they reach 55 years of age;
-Provides survivors seeking to file actions against public
and private institutions for previously time-barred claims a new opportunity
for their day in court by opening a one-year window, now extended to two years,
for them to commence their civil action;
-Eliminates the need to file a notice of claim for sexual
offenses committed against a minor;
-Requires judicial training with respect to crimes involving
the sexual abuse of minors;
-Authorizes the Office of Court Administration to promulgate
rules and regulations for the timely adjudication of revived actions.
