Wisconsin Sex Abuse Victims Plead With Legislators to Pass Bill Extending Statute of Limitations

David Mittleman

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Madison, Wisconsin—a group of childhood sex abuse victims are urging a Wisconsin legislative committee to support Assembly Bill 453, which would repeal the state’s statute of limitations on childhood sexual abuse cases that involve clergy or incest. Under current law, victims can sue up until the age of 35.

Spurred by the Child Victims Act that is already in place in California and Delaware, the Wisconsin victims hope for similar results in identifying unknown sex offenders, particularly those working for churches. In fact, since the legislation passed in California 300 previously unknown sex offenders have been identified.

Victims and child safety advocates vouch for the bill, arguing that the current statute of limitations in Wisconsin is arbitrary and ultimately silences victims. However, church leaders as well as tort reformers argue that the bill would place undue burden on religious institutions that are already struggling financially. Nevertheless, child safety advocates cite that only a small number of abuse cases actually involve church clergy, so church financial concerns should not stop the bill from passing. Indeed, as Laurie Asplund, a sexual abuse victim that was molested at age 15, stated: “[t]he goal of survivors has nothing to do with money…it’s about getting a piece of your soul back.”