Myself 5 and my 2 sisters 4 and 6 years old molested by a 19 year old babysitter in 1975 and no police called, just elders meeting at home and brushed under the table. North cape coral Florida. Messed up all 3 of us our whole lives in some way or another. I'm angry because they are supposed to be law abiding citizens. Just wondering if my window is still open. Or am I just a statistic.
Are my options closed? Myself and my 2 sisters molested by fellow 19 y/o Jehovah's witness babysitter
by TjHunt 8 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse
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Simon
Probably best to seek some legal advice in your state to see what your options are.
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carla
Simon is right, contact an attorney and do some research, legal and civil. Here is one article to get you started
https://criminaldefenseattorneytampa.com/sexually-motivated-crimes/statute-of-limitations/
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Biahi
Contact the Zalkin Law firm at Zalkin.com. They will help you. God Bless. 🙏
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Slidin Fast
It’s never too late to try. Contact Zalkin and talk it over to with them, if possible with your sisters. Win or lose if will help you get your self respect, your life back.
Think assertively, you deserve redress for this. As grown women, give it your best shot.
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Anony Mous
For 1975, there are indeed statutes of limitations. Even the youngest would now be 48yo, 30 years past the time when the clock started ticking (when you become a legal adult or 18yo). That clock typically ranges from 4-10 years for that era unless you can make the claim you were continuously dependent for that time period.
That limit has since been lifted, but is not retroactive. Unless they did something that qualifies them for life in prison or the death penalty, you are probably out of time. This would also mean this person is now 65.
You should indeed contact an attorney to see about potential civil damages from the WTBTS and/or the offender but it will be an arduous process, things will have to be examined closely, expect old wounds that may have healed to be opened. You will also need some form of proof, with a bit of luck one of the younger elders may still be alive, but everyone else involved will have died. Whatever was on paper was probably lost or destroyed since. -
was a new boy
options are closed for now;
'this year, efforts to pass legislation opening a window in Florida were not successful during the legislative session, which ended last week.'
Contact your State Rep./Senator. Get involved with organizations trying to change the law.
“The intention, of course, was to make it as inclusive as possible, not to go back 75 years and probably not to go back 50 years, but I think, you know, to open it up to maybe a 20-year-old claim or a 25-year-old claim,” Gottlieb said. “There’s always going to be somebody in all likelihood unless we completely open it up to any and all claims, there’s always going to be somebody who’s left out.”
https://www.news4jax.com/i-team/2021/05/06/florida-lawmaker-to-push-again-for-lookback-window-allowing-sex-abuse-survivors-to-sue/?__vfz=medium%3Dsharebar
Across USA, Lookback Windows are on a roll in the states, Don't give up! Make your voice heard!
https://twitter.com/CHILD_USA/status/1390771292438155267/photo/2
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Anony Mous
Those laws are largely unconstitutional. You can’t make something a crime with reverse effects, like making a road 35 and then handing out tickets to everyone that has gone 55 through the area in the past 20 years.
in this case, what happened was illegal back then too, when these people became adults the clock started ticking. You can argue that 20 years is not enough, but even that expired. The reason limits exist is because it becomes increasingly harder to prove facts, find witnesses and even victims’ recollections get worse as time moves on, motivating victims to file their grievances early, thus the judicial system doesn’t get overloaded if suddenly something becomes well known.
As I said you can always sue someone in civil court, but you still will need some proof unless the other party outright admits what happened or settles.
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was a new boy
Those laws are largely unconstitutional.
Windows on criminal prosecution are unconstitutional, windows on civil lawsuits are not unconstitutional in USA.
in 2003, in a split 5–4 decision.[2] The Supreme Court held that "a law enacted after expiration of a previously applicable limitations period violates the Ex Post Facto Clause when it is applied to revive a previously time-barred prosecution."[1]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stogner_v._California
https://www.cga.ct.gov/2003/olrdata/jud/rpt/2003-R-0512.htm
Most State constitutions would allow a civil window, for example in PA.'But Rozzi says as the law only makes a procedural change (adjusting the time limit allowing survivors to sue), and not a substantive change, like redefining the crime, it is constitutional.'