Beatty: Child sex abuse victims deserved better

For immediate release: Wednesday, March 29, 2006

CONTACT: John Kohlstrand at (614) 466-9036 or (614) 595-4936

Beatty: Child sex abuse victims deserved better

House Democratic Leader Joyce Beatty expressed deep disappointment today at the House GOP’s decision to block a proposal to allow victims of child sex abuse to seek justice after decades of having the courthouse doors closed to them.

 Beatty’s floor amendment would have created a one-year window for victims of child sexual abuse to file civil lawsuits and seek justice for abuse that occurred up to 35 years ago.

 The proposal is strongly supported by victims of sexual abuse by Roman Catholic clergy, and it received bipartisan support in the version of Senate Bill 17 that passed the Senate a year ago.

 But on Tuesday, House Republicans stripped the “one-year look back” provision out of the bill. Beatty’s amendment to put it back in was blocked Wednesday, largely along party lines.

 “It’s sad to see state legislators keep the courthouse doors closed and locked tight to victims of horrible, horrible acts,” said Beatty, D-Columbus.  “These victims deserved better.”

“These victims deserve their day in court,” Beatty said. “Many of their attackers still need to be held accountable for what they did.”

On Wednesday, House Republicans also blocked a proposal from Beatty that would have extended the length of time victims have to sue from 12 years after reaching the age of majority (usually 18) to 20 years.

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