Sec. 2. Findings
195 words·~1 min read·
/bill/117/hr/5049/ih/section-2A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
Congress finds the following: According to the Children’s Bureau of the Administration on Children, Youth and Families of the Department of Health and Human Services, every 9 minutes, a child is sexually assaulted in the United States, and 93 percent of victims know the perpetrator, who is often related to the victim. Child sexual abuse can have a serious impact on the physical and mental health of victims, who often experience post-traumatic stress disorder, shame, guilt, anxiety, and depression.
A study from the National Institutes of Health found that between 60 and 80 percent of victims of childhood sexual abuse wait until adulthood to disclose their abuse. Due to the especially heinous nature of child sexual abuse, it is imperative that perpetrators of this crime are punished and prevented from reoffending, and that victims have the opportunity to see their abusers brought to justice. Statutes of limitations for felony sex crimes against minors differ by State, and some end as little as 3 years after the crime occurred, even for crimes like production of child sexual abuse imagery.
For victims, statutes of limitations can hinder their ability to seek justice and hold their perpetrator accountable.