Governor Andrew Cuomo is making it easier to hold people suspected of sexually abusing children responsible for their actions.
He signed the Child Victims Act into law on Thursday, which increases the amount of time that perpetrators can be held criminally accountable.Victims of these crimes can now file a civil lawsuit at any point before they turn 55 years old.
"This bill brings justice to people who were abused, and rights the wrongs that went unacknowledged and unpunished for too long. By signing this bill, we are saying nobody is above the law, that the cloak of authority is not impenetrable, and that if you violate the law, we will find out and you will be punished and justice will be done," Governor Cuomo said.
Before the Child Victims Act was signed, child sexual offenses couldn’t be prosecuted after five years from when they occurred.Civil lawsuits also had to be brought within three years of the victim’s 18th birthday.
Photo Credit: Getty Images