Child sex abuse survivor fights for future victims


Child sex abuse
 survivor fights for future victims

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — A woman who was molested by her cousin as a teenager is fighting for a law that eliminates the statute of limitations to prosecute people who commit such crimes against teenage children.

Ashley Foster told her story to the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, explaining she waited until she was 21 to report the crimes that began when she was 13. By then, it was too late.

Police taped a phone call in which the cousin confessed, but he couldn’t be prosecuted because more than three years had passed by the time Foster found the courage to report them.

The committee unanimously approved a bill that would eliminate the statute of limitations for molesting teenage children. There is no statute of limitation for similar crimes against children younger than 13.