Statute of limitations for sexual abuse of minors extended to age 35 • Will apply to family, institutions that knew of abuse
Shortly after Israel’s government dispersed and the Knesset moved into an interim government, Israel passed in a third and final vote a significant extension to the statute of limitations for sexual abuse victims who were abused as minors.
“There are very few horrific crimes such as sexual abuse of boys and girls,” said Chairperson of the Committee for the Advancement of Women and Gender Equality Aida Touma-Sliman (Joint List), one of the MKs who put the bill forward. “The least we owe as a society to those who have experienced sexual violence as minors is to give them the opportunity to sue those who harmed them civilly, and those who were supposed to protect them and betray their commitment – not just in criminal proceedings and not just until the end of a short statute of limitations.”
The bill will lengthen the statute of limitations until the victim reaches the age of 35. This, after the statute of limitations for sexual abuse of minors had been up until age 25 up to this point.
This very short statute of limitations has, in the past, led victims to give up the option of taking on a civil lawsuit.
The bill will also apply the same statute of limitations to third parties, such as families and institutions, which knew of the abuse inflicted upon the minor and that were negligent in preventing it.
“This bill will abolish the stopwatch that hangs over the heads of so many minors who were victims of sexual assault in a civil lawsuit,” Chairperson of the Children’s Rights Committee Michal Shir Segman (New Hope) who presented the bill for approval.
“Thanks to the extra time, the minors will be able to process the trauma, and mostly to gain back control and to choose if and when to deal with their attacker again,” she continued. “The law will remove a major obstacle that stands in the way of minors who were victims of sexual assault on their path to justice.”
The statute of limitations dictates up until when a victim, such as a sexual assault victim, could file a civil lawsuit against their abuser or attacker.
The bill was initially put forth relating to the statute of limitations extension by Shir Segman and was merged with the bill about families and institutions presented by MK Michal Rozin (Meretz) and Touma-Sliman.
The bills were put together with the help of the Association of Rape Crisis Centers in Israel (ARCCI).
Thus, the victim would be able to sue them in a civil lawsuit, as well.