New York's sexual assault lawsuits are drastically increasing because of the Adult Survivors Act's deadline, which happened on Friday, Nov. 24.
Statistics showed that over 2,500 lawsuits were filed under New York's Adult Survivors Act before its deadline. However, since the legislation already reached its deadline, it is unclear what will happen to these legal actions.
Members of Rise and Resist hold signs as they await the arrival of magazine columnist E. Jean Carroll for the first day of her civil trial against former President Donald Trump at a Manhattan Federal Court on April 25, 2023, in New York City. Jury selections begin in the Carroll civil trial against the former president.
If you are living in New York, here's what you need to know about the ongoing issue with the temporary legislation.
NY: Sexual Assault Lawsuits Increase Due to Adult Survivors Act Deadline
According to BBC News, the Adult Survivors Act was signed in 2022 by New York Governor Kathy Hochul. She approved this to temporarily remove the statute of limitations for sexual assault complaints.
Specifically, it allows sexual assault survivors to file lawsuits against offenders even if the crimes happened before the 20-year legal statute of limitations.
Thanks to the Adult Survivors Act, victims can sue their offenders even if the sexual assaults happened more than 20 years ago. New York State Coalition Against Sexual Assault Executive Director Joanne Zannoni explained why this temporary legislation is important.
"This can be an important part of survivors' healing," she explained.
However, this legislation was only given a 1-year time frame. Because of this, rape and other sexual abuse victims have been filing their complaints in New York.
If you read the news, you will notice that even NYC Mayor Eric Adams is facing civil lawsuits due to sexual assault allegations. The legal actions he faces claim that the American official sexually abused two women in 1993.
Aside from him, Jamie Foxx and Axl Rose were also sued. However, both of them denied the sexual abuse allegations against them. These are just some of the lawsuits in New York.
However, many experts are worried that some of these lawsuits may not be true and that people are just taking advantage of the Adult Survivors Act before it is removed to generate money.
Sexual Assault Advocates Call for Extension
A demonstrator holds a sign overhead at a rally in support of the Adult Survivors Act on February 28, 2020, in New York City. Introduced by New York State Senator Brad Hoylman and Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal in October 2019, the ASA would provide a one-year look-back window for any adult survivor of sexual abuse.
CNN reported that sexual assault advocates are now calling for an extension of the Adult Survivors Act. But, they said that it would be better if NY officials could provide a permanent way to seek accountability for sex offenders.
They argued that the statutes of limitations for sexual assault lawsuits are restrictive and don't account for the experience of victims.
"What we have learned is that trauma takes time - that when you've experienced a sexual assault, especially by somebody who was in a position of power, you may not be able to take action right away," said Safe Horizon CEO Liz Roberts.
"You need time to process what's happened to you, and you need time to get support around you if you are going to pursue some kind of legal action," she added.
Related Article: NYC Mayor Eric Adams Allegedly Sexually Assaulted Former Colleague 30 Years Ago; Plaintiff Files Civil Lawsuit
