The primary reason for the much needed correction in the statute is the fact that most children do not know that they have a clock ticking from the date they are molested to file criminal charges. Additionally, it is a known fact that most victims do not come forward with accounts of abuse for well over a decade; the result of shame, guilt, self loathing, embarrassment, and confusion, to identify just a small sample of reasons.
Another significant indicator of the deficiency of the archaic statute is the delayed psychological side effects of child rape; the realization and response time to seek justice for the culminating damage typically occurs decades later as well. The effects of child sexual abuse for many victims frequently parallels the effects of asbestos exposure ; the accumulative toxic psychological poison can emerge far into the individuals future lifetime.
Analyzing the pain and frustration of a child rape victim who witnesses the accused pedophile perpetrator bask in a luxurious resort; while the predator has been allowed continued access to children without supervision, is haunting to say the least. This supposition may have triggered the incident that resulted in the reaction and crisis that is the result and legal focus of the Lynch case.
The fact that most clergy pedophiles and other sex abusers have escaped criminal prosecution - should be a daunting wake up call to lawmakers to correct the defective time limit for seeking justice. The existence of the present law and statute eerily suggest a pedophile friendly legislature that is suspiciously not in favor of child abuse victims; a system that needs further investigation as to its validity.
At the very least, if lawmakers continue to maintain the inadequate statute, parents and activists for child protection should consider educating children themselves as to the imperative time limit constraints to seek justice for sex abuse crimes. Perhaps it is time to boldly suggest that schools should teach awareness about child abuse statute limits as part of the sex education program.
In conclusion, vigilante justice, and/or violence does not correct child sex abuse statutes -- but the laws have certainly failed, and abused children are the losers. It is imperative that the statute of limitations for child abuse be eliminated completely - or radically reformed to meet 21st century psychologically dictated standards.
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