Morrisville-Trenton Walk to Culminate With Trenton Statehouse Rally

Press Release 9/16/16

TRENTON – Senator Joseph F. Vitale will join advocates in Trenton this Sunday for a Statehouse rally supporting the elimination of the statute of limitations for child sex abuse cases. The rally will take place at the culmination of the ‘Walk to End SOL,’ a nearly two-mile walk extending from Morrisville, Pennsylvania to the Statehouse.

Senator Vitale will address the crowd at the rally. Also speaking will be Dr. Robert Hoatson, founder of Road to Recovery, a nonprofit group supporting survivors, and Mark Crawford, NJ State Leader of SNAP, an international nonprofit group that supports survivors of those abused by Priests and others.

“We need to protect victims of child sexual abuse and help them seek justice. This will require changing current law and expanding the civil statute of limitations for this crime,” said Senator Vitale (D-Middlesex). “The fact is that many survivors do not come to terms with abuse they endured until many years later, and only then are they prepared to seek help and justice. Leaving an arbitrary statute of limitations in place protects the abuser. I am proud to join advocates from Road to Recovery, SNAP, NJCASA, and more to bring attention to this critical issue and hope to see action on the legislation soon.”

Under current law, a victim of child sexual abuse has two years from the time they reach adulthood or two years from the time they make “discovery,” realizing the connection between the abuse and the trauma from which they suffered, to file a civil suit against their abuser. Senator Vitale is the sponsor of legislation (S280) to eliminate the statute of limitations in civil actions for child sexual abuse.

The ‘Walk to End SOL PA to NJ’ will begin Sunday, September 18, 2016, at 12 p.m. at the Morrisville Shopping Center Parking lot, 1 East Trenton Avenue, Morrisville, Pennsylvania. It will culminate with a rally on the Statehouse steps, 125 West State Street, Trenton, NJ.