Jones’ attorney, Levi McCathern, called the allegations “completely false” and said the lawsuit was a “money grab,” and now, a month after the allegations surfaced, the lawsuit has been dismissed, according to the Dallas Morning News.
The accuser, Jana Weckerly, a former stripper, said she was the person who took those racy pictures, and she alleged that was the night Jones “forcibly touched her butt, forcibly touched her breasts, forcibly kissed her and forcibly touched her genitals.”
Jones’ lawyers countered by saying the five-year statute of limitations had already passed, but Weckerly’s attorneys said Jones had been paying her for the past four years to keep her quiet.
Weckerly was seeking more than $1 million in damages.
“We are pleased with the Court’s Judgment against Ms. Weckerly,” McCathern told the newspaper. “Ms. Weckerly’s allegations were false. This case is over.”
http://sol-reform.com/News/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Hamilton-Logo.jpg00SOL Reformhttp://sol-reform.com/News/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Hamilton-Logo.jpgSOL Reform2014-10-19 22:53:512014-10-19 23:11:06Josh Katzowitz, Former stripper's sexual assault lawsuit against Jerry Jones dismissed, CBS Sports
Sen. Williams’ Leadership Helps PA School Districts Stop ‘Passing the Trash’ | PaSenate.comSen. Williams’ Leadership Helps PA School Districts Stop ‘Passing the Trash’
HARRISBURG, Oct. 15, 2014 — Under state Sen. Anthony Hardy Williams’ leadership, the House of Representatives today sent legislation to the governor’s desk that, if signed into law, would prevent schools from quietly transferring or hiring teachers, coaches and staff who have sexually exploited, abused or harassed students.”
House Bill 1816, a proposal that started with Sen. Williams’ Senate Bill 46 in January 2013, won the lower chamber’s final approval this afternoon, 195-0.
“Too many of our daughters, sons, relatives and neighbors have fallen victim to teachers, coaches and administrators disguised as people our children could trust,” Sen. Williams said following the House vote. “We’re just one step away from closing a bad loophole in Pennsylvania law that has allowed educators to find employment elsewhere, despite their criminal past.”
HB 1816 includes “passing the trash” language from Williams’ SB 46, as the senator amended the bill last week to include his proposal and move it to the governor’s doorstep.
Williams said school districts will have a much clearer picture of an applicant’s past under the new law.
Before a school entity or independent contractor offers employment to someone who will have direct contact with children, they must receive:
A list, including name, address, telephone number and other relevant contact information of the applicant’s
The applicant’s current employer
All former employers that were school entities
All former employers where the applicant was employed in positions that involved direct contact with children
A written authorization from the applicant’s current and former employers
Pertaining to applicants’ possible criminal past, the new law would require a written statement highlighting if he or she:
Has been the subject of an abuse or sexual misconduct investigation by any employer, state licensing agency, law enforcement agency or child protective services agency
Has ever been disciplined, discharged, non-renewed or asked to resign from employment, resigned from or otherwise separated from any employment while allegations of abuse or sexual misconduct were pending or under investigation
Has ever had a license, professional license or certificate suspended, surrendered or revoked while allegations of abuse or sexual misconduct were pending or under investigation
“Any teacher, coach or administrator who lies about their past can rest assured that you, one day, will be caught,” Williams said. “And, when you are caught and held to public scrutiny, you will lose your job, be denied employment and will be turned over to the police.
“Our children go to school to learn, grow and become productive human beings; the friends, neighbors and community leaders who we look to to lead us forward.
“The adults they entrust to help them get to those pivotal moments in life should never be allowed to walk the halls of our schools and darken the dreams of innocent students.
“This has been a long legislative journey. I am grateful for the help of so many Democrats and Republicans in both chambers to get us to this point, and I am looking forward to Gov. Corbett’s consideration and approval of this law so schools everywhere will be able to stop passing the trash,” Williams said.
Sen. Williams also thanked the president of the national SESAME group, Terri Miller; teacher abuse survivor and author Andrea Clemens; Dr. Chester Kent, a member of the SESAME Advisory Board and a former western PA school district superintendent; and Lebanon County District Attorney Dave Arnold, the secretary-treasurer the PA District Attorneys Association.
http://i1.wp.com/sol-reform.com/News/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/unnamed-6.jpg?fit=624%2C182182624SOL Reformhttp://sol-reform.com/News/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Hamilton-Logo.jpgSOL Reform2014-10-17 21:32:542014-10-17 21:32:54Sen. Williams’ Leadership Helps PA School Districts Stop ‘Passing the Trash’, PA Senate
In Pennsylvania, Protecting Children is One PAC’s Sole Aim
By Brad Segall
HARRISBURG, Pa. (CBS) — A newly formed political action committee has released a voter’s guide to let Pennsylvania residents know, before they head to the polls next month, how their state lawmakers are doing when it comes to protecting children.
The online guide, put together by “Protect PA Kids,” designates state representatives and state senators as “protectors” if they were a primary sponsor of a recent bill to protect kids.
It also notes lawmakers who opposed the legislation.
The PAC focuses on a number of issues including teen driving laws and teacher background checks. But founder Susan Matthews says the key issue is reforming the statute of limitations in the wake of theSandusky and Archdiocese of Philadelphia sex scandals.
“It became very apparent that institutional coverups had prevented justice for several victims, so the spotlight was on this issue,” she tells KYW Newsradio.
Many states have already enacted reforms, according to Matthews. And she says that by identifying predators, reform would help protect children from becoming future victims.
“Pennsylvania is lacking in this area and yet somehow there aren’t hearings or bills passed to back that up,” she says.
She points the finger at special-interest groups whose deep pockets, she says, can drown out the voices of grandparents, parents, and law enforcement officials.
http://sol-reform.com/News/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Hamilton-Logo.jpg00SOL Reformhttp://sol-reform.com/News/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Hamilton-Logo.jpgSOL Reform2014-10-17 21:28:002014-10-17 21:28:00Brad Segall, In Pennsylvania, Protecting Children is One PAC’s Sole Aim, CBS Local
The Great Valley School District will host our signature seminar featuring speaker, Beth Pitts. “Keep Your Kids Safe” will be held on Thursday, Oct. 16 at 7pm at General Wayne Elementary School, 20 Devon Rd., Malvern PA 19355. The event is free. Adults only, please.
About the Presenter:
Ms. Pitts currently holds the position of Associate Director of Investigations for Swarthmore College. Prior to her employment with Swarthmore, Ms. Pitts was a Deputy District Attorney with the Chester County District Attorney’s Office where she worked for twenty years. Ms. Pitts supervised the Chester County District Attorney’s Office Child Abuse Unit for over a decade.
She graduated from Philadelphia College of Art (now the University of the Arts) in 1983 with a Bachelors Degree in Fine Arts and a minor in Art Therapy. In 1993 she was awarded a J.D. from Widener University School of Law.
While with the District Attorney’s Office, Ms. Pitts prosecuted thousands of cases including first degree homicides, sexual assaults, white collar crimes and child abuse cases. In 2000 she became a member of the Chester County Child Abuse Unit which exclusively prosecutes child physical and sexual abuse cases. She successfully tried over 55 jury trials many of which were felony cases with child victims.
She has served as a guest lecturer on child abuse and Megan’s Law related topics at West Chester University, Wilmington College, and Alvernia University and was a member of the faculty for the Widener University School of Law trial advocacy program (ITAP). In 2009 Ms. Pitts was appointed Co-Director of the Chester County Children’s Advocacy Center. In 2010, Ms. Pitts became a faculty member of Pennsylvania ChildFirst forensic interview training program which instructs police officers, social workers, and prosecutors in child interviewing techniques.
http://sol-reform.com/News/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Hamilton-Logo.jpg00SOL Reformhttp://sol-reform.com/News/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Hamilton-Logo.jpgSOL Reform2014-10-16 15:39:472014-10-17 23:27:46Justice4pakids Seminar, "Keep Your Kids Safe"
http://sol-reform.com/News/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Hamilton-Logo.jpg00SOL Reformhttp://sol-reform.com/News/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Hamilton-Logo.jpgSOL Reform2014-10-16 00:39:252014-10-16 00:41:52Rozzi Wins House PA Kid Protector Award, From the Office of State Rep. Mark Rozzi
A Bucks County grand jury is investigating decades-old claims of child sex abuse by former faculty at the Solebury School.
School head Thomas Wilschutz issued two letters to the school community acknowledging some former faculty and staff sexually abused students in the 1950s through the 1970s. The letters were posted to the school website and mailed to alumni. In the first, Wilschutz acknowledged the abuse. In the second, he disclosed a sexual relationship between Robert Shaw, the school’s founder, and an unidentified student.
Carole Trickett says she is that student. Trickett is one of two former Solebury School graduates who say they’ll be speaking to the grand jury that has been empaneled on this issue. Trickett, 77, of Maine, said she’s scheduled to testify in November.
Trickett said she was 14 when Shaw, then 51 or 52, began a sexual relationship with her. She still has a note she said proves school officials knew about the relationship. Trickett said she knows Shaw, who died in 1982, was inappropriate with other students.
The Bucks County District Attorney’s Office declined to comment on the grand jury. Attorneys, court employees and jurors are prevented by law from revealing the existence of a grand jury or of any of its proceedings. Witnesses are not, however.
In a statement to the newspaper, Wilschutz said: “With respect to your inquiry regarding a grand jury, you really need to check with the district attorney’s office on that question. I do not have any direct knowledge that such a step has been taken and to the best of my knowledge no one at Solebury School has been contacted regarding this matter.”
Trickett said years after Shaw’s death, in the 1990s, she contacted the school and was told by a now-retired headmaster: “Can’t you tell yourself you were just a kid and forget it?”
What she didn’t know then was the school was in the process of settling a civil lawsuit involving an affair between a music teacher in his mid-20s and a 15-year-old girl. The teacher, charged with sex crimes and sent to state prison, gave her drugs and encouraged her to have sex with others.
In recent years, Trickett said she repeatedly contacted Wilschutz about the abuse, leading up to his letters to the school community in July and September.
Peter Robbins, a member of the class of 1969, said he was shocked by the allegations against Shaw — but not by the allegations of sex abuse at the school.
Robbins, 63, of Albany, New York, said he’s testifying before the grand jury Thursday and will tell jury members he was raped by a teacher and others, that the school knew about it and nothing was done.
Robbins said a teacher and one of the teacher’s friends took him to a home off campus in 1968. He said he was drugged and awoke to find himself bleeding. He fled the home and went to the school’s headmaster, who told him he’d probably been raped.
The headmaster took Robbins to be treated for his injuries and, Robbins said, he knew what had happened. But the teacher kept teaching at the school.
“For many, many, many years, I believed it was my fault, that I did something that made them do this to me,” Robbins said. “It’s something that stays with you forever, something you learn to live with.”
After he graduated, Robbins said he moved as far away from the school as he could. He became a teacher, he said, because he wanted to make sure what happened to him didn’t happen to anyone else.
“I want to hold the school responsible,” Robbins said. “They got away with it and apparently I’m not the only one it happened to and nothing was done. They might as well have hung a sign that said ‘If you are a pedophile come here, you will get away with it.’”
Criminal charges and civil lawsuits are not likely in the cases of Robbins or Trickett because the statutes of limitations ran out a long time ago, according to state law.
Yeshiva University law professor Marci A. Hamilton said a prosecutor can bring criminal charges as of result of claims by alumni who graduated in 1995 or later. For a civil claim against the school to proceed, the plaintiff would have to be from the class of 2000 or a later class.
Hamilton, a Washington Crossing resident who has been following the Solebury School case, specializes in statutes of limitations and child protection laws and advocates for extending legal timelines.
In 2007, in the wake of a grand jury report on child sexual abuse in the Philadelphia Archdiocese, state law expanded the statute of limitations.
According to Hamilton, a prosecutor could pursue a criminal case if the sexual abuse victim hadn’t turned 30 by Jan. 27, 2007. And that victim has until his or her 50th birthday to report the crime.
Pursuing a civil claim against the school would follow a different legal timeline.
In 2002, Pennsylvania expanded the eligibility to file a civil suit in sex abuse cases after a series of coverups were documented by The Boston Globe. As a result, if someone turned 20 on or after Aug. 26, 2002, that person would have until age 30 to file a civil suit against a perpetrator of child abuse.
In the Solebury School case, she said, a victim who graduated in 2000 or later would be legally able to file a civil suit.
There is no legal remedy for allegations by victims who fall outside the statute of limitations, Hamilton said.
“The impact of not being able to obtain justice — they never get that moment where society says to them: This is not your fault,” Hamilton said.
Hamilton said survivors of child abuse experience shame and guilt. According to her experience, the average survivor reaches his or her early 40s before making allegations.
But, she said, there are some cases where people haven’t come forward until their 80s and others where kids have reported being abused.
There’s a lot of embarrassment and humiliation felt by victims, Hamilton said, and usually they’re dealing with someone — a parent, a teacher or another adult — who they love and they don’t know how to process the abuse.
Trickett said she knows there won’t be any charges in her case and no lawsuit. She said she does know there are allegations of abuse in 2005 that could lead to charges. And she said she’s glad for that victim. But there are more than just charges and lawsuits to be considered, she said.
“We can hold the school responsible for a crime that was covered up for decades — that needs to be known,” Trickett said. “We were dishonored as children. Now they can show us some honor.”
http://sol-reform.com/News/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Hamilton-Logo.jpg00SOL Reformhttp://sol-reform.com/News/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Hamilton-Logo.jpgSOL Reform2014-10-15 00:14:452014-10-15 00:14:52Matt Coughlin, Testimony underway in Solebury School sex abuse scandal, Bucks County Courier Times
Josh Katzowitz, Former stripper’s sexual assault lawsuit against Jerry Jones dismissed, CBS Sports
/in Uncategorized /by SOL ReformSoon after some racy pictures of Cowboys owner Jerry Jones were released this summer, he was accused of sexual assault from an incident in June 2009.
Jones’ attorney, Levi McCathern, called the allegations “completely false” and said the lawsuit was a “money grab,” and now, a month after the allegations surfaced, the lawsuit has been dismissed, according to the Dallas Morning News.
The accuser, Jana Weckerly, a former stripper, said she was the person who took those racy pictures, and she alleged that was the night Jones “forcibly touched her butt, forcibly touched her breasts, forcibly kissed her and forcibly touched her genitals.”
Jones’ lawyers countered by saying the five-year statute of limitations had already passed, but Weckerly’s attorneys said Jones had been paying her for the past four years to keep her quiet.
Weckerly was seeking more than $1 million in damages.
“We are pleased with the Court’s Judgment against Ms. Weckerly,” McCathern told the newspaper. “Ms. Weckerly’s allegations were false. This case is over.”
Sen. Williams’ Leadership Helps PA School Districts Stop ‘Passing the Trash’, PA Senate
/in Pennsylvania /by SOL ReformSen. Williams’ Leadership Helps PA School Districts Stop ‘Passing the Trash’ | PaSenate.comSen. Williams’ Leadership Helps PA School Districts Stop ‘Passing the Trash’
HARRISBURG, Oct. 15, 2014 — Under state Sen. Anthony Hardy Williams’ leadership, the House of Representatives today sent legislation to the governor’s desk that, if signed into law, would prevent schools from quietly transferring or hiring teachers, coaches and staff who have sexually exploited, abused or harassed students.”
House Bill 1816, a proposal that started with Sen. Williams’ Senate Bill 46 in January 2013, won the lower chamber’s final approval this afternoon, 195-0.
“Too many of our daughters, sons, relatives and neighbors have fallen victim to teachers, coaches and administrators disguised as people our children could trust,” Sen. Williams said following the House vote. “We’re just one step away from closing a bad loophole in Pennsylvania law that has allowed educators to find employment elsewhere, despite their criminal past.”
HB 1816 includes “passing the trash” language from Williams’ SB 46, as the senator amended the bill last week to include his proposal and move it to the governor’s doorstep.
Williams said school districts will have a much clearer picture of an applicant’s past under the new law.
Before a school entity or independent contractor offers employment to someone who will have direct contact with children, they must receive:
Pertaining to applicants’ possible criminal past, the new law would require a written statement highlighting if he or she:
“Any teacher, coach or administrator who lies about their past can rest assured that you, one day, will be caught,” Williams said. “And, when you are caught and held to public scrutiny, you will lose your job, be denied employment and will be turned over to the police.
“Our children go to school to learn, grow and become productive human beings; the friends, neighbors and community leaders who we look to to lead us forward.
“The adults they entrust to help them get to those pivotal moments in life should never be allowed to walk the halls of our schools and darken the dreams of innocent students.
“This has been a long legislative journey. I am grateful for the help of so many Democrats and Republicans in both chambers to get us to this point, and I am looking forward to Gov. Corbett’s consideration and approval of this law so schools everywhere will be able to stop passing the trash,” Williams said.
Sen. Williams also thanked the president of the national SESAME group, Terri Miller; teacher abuse survivor and author Andrea Clemens; Dr. Chester Kent, a member of the SESAME Advisory Board and a former western PA school district superintendent; and Lebanon County District Attorney Dave Arnold, the secretary-treasurer the PA District Attorneys Association.
###
Follow state Sen. Anthony H. Williams via Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and his website.
Brad Segall, In Pennsylvania, Protecting Children is One PAC’s Sole Aim, CBS Local
/in Pennsylvania /by SOL ReformIn Pennsylvania, Protecting Children is One PAC’s Sole Aim
HARRISBURG, Pa. (CBS) — A newly formed political action committee has released a voter’s guide to let Pennsylvania residents know, before they head to the polls next month, how their state lawmakers are doing when it comes to protecting children.
The online guide, put together by “Protect PA Kids,” designates state representatives and state senators as “protectors” if they were a primary sponsor of a recent bill to protect kids.
It also notes lawmakers who opposed the legislation.
The PAC focuses on a number of issues including teen driving laws and teacher background checks. But founder Susan Matthews says the key issue is reforming the statute of limitations in the wake of theSandusky and Archdiocese of Philadelphia sex scandals.
“It became very apparent that institutional coverups had prevented justice for several victims, so the spotlight was on this issue,” she tells KYW Newsradio.
Many states have already enacted reforms, according to Matthews. And she says that by identifying predators, reform would help protect children from becoming future victims.
“Pennsylvania is lacking in this area and yet somehow there aren’t hearings or bills passed to back that up,” she says.
She points the finger at special-interest groups whose deep pockets, she says, can drown out the voices of grandparents, parents, and law enforcement officials.
http://philadelphia.cbslocal.
Justice4pakids Seminar, “Keep Your Kids Safe”
/in Uncategorized /by SOL ReformJustice4pakids Seminar
The Great Valley School District will host our signature seminar featuring speaker, Beth Pitts. “Keep Your Kids Safe” will be held on Thursday, Oct. 16 at 7pm at General Wayne Elementary School, 20 Devon Rd., Malvern PA 19355. The event is free. Adults only, please.
About the Presenter:
Ms. Pitts currently holds the position of Associate Director of Investigations for Swarthmore College. Prior to her employment with Swarthmore, Ms. Pitts was a Deputy District Attorney with the Chester County District Attorney’s Office where she worked for twenty years. Ms. Pitts supervised the Chester County District Attorney’s Office Child Abuse Unit for over a decade.
She graduated from Philadelphia College of Art (now the University of the Arts) in 1983 with a Bachelors Degree in Fine Arts and a minor in Art Therapy. In 1993 she was awarded a J.D. from Widener University School of Law.
While with the District Attorney’s Office, Ms. Pitts prosecuted thousands of cases including first degree homicides, sexual assaults, white collar crimes and child abuse cases. In 2000 she became a member of the Chester County Child Abuse Unit which exclusively prosecutes child physical and sexual abuse cases. She successfully tried over 55 jury trials many of which were felony cases with child victims.
She has served as a guest lecturer on child abuse and Megan’s Law related topics at West Chester University, Wilmington College, and Alvernia University and was a member of the faculty for the Widener University School of Law trial advocacy program (ITAP). In 2009 Ms. Pitts was appointed Co-Director of the Chester County Children’s Advocacy Center. In 2010, Ms. Pitts became a faculty member of Pennsylvania ChildFirst forensic interview training program which instructs police officers, social workers, and prosecutors in child interviewing techniques.
Rozzi Wins House PA Kid Protector Award, From the Office of State Rep. Mark Rozzi
/in Pennsylvania /by SOL ReformRozzi Wins House PA Kid Protector Award – bctv.org – Local news about Berks County and Reading, Pa.: Government
Matt Coughlin, Testimony underway in Solebury School sex abuse scandal, Bucks County Courier Times
/in Pennsylvania /by SOL ReformA Bucks County grand jury is investigating decades-old claims of child sex abuse by former faculty at the Solebury School.
School head Thomas Wilschutz issued two letters to the school community acknowledging some former faculty and staff sexually abused students in the 1950s through the 1970s. The letters were posted to the school website and mailed to alumni. In the first, Wilschutz acknowledged the abuse. In the second, he disclosed a sexual relationship between Robert Shaw, the school’s founder, and an unidentified student.
Carole Trickett says she is that student. Trickett is one of two former Solebury School graduates who say they’ll be speaking to the grand jury that has been empaneled on this issue. Trickett, 77, of Maine, said she’s scheduled to testify in November.
Trickett said she was 14 when Shaw, then 51 or 52, began a sexual relationship with her. She still has a note she said proves school officials knew about the relationship. Trickett said she knows Shaw, who died in 1982, was inappropriate with other students.
The Bucks County District Attorney’s Office declined to comment on the grand jury. Attorneys, court employees and jurors are prevented by law from revealing the existence of a grand jury or of any of its proceedings. Witnesses are not, however.
In a statement to the newspaper, Wilschutz said: “With respect to your inquiry regarding a grand jury, you really need to check with the district attorney’s office on that question. I do not have any direct knowledge that such a step has been taken and to the best of my knowledge no one at Solebury School has been contacted regarding this matter.”
Trickett said years after Shaw’s death, in the 1990s, she contacted the school and was told by a now-retired headmaster: “Can’t you tell yourself you were just a kid and forget it?”
What she didn’t know then was the school was in the process of settling a civil lawsuit involving an affair between a music teacher in his mid-20s and a 15-year-old girl. The teacher, charged with sex crimes and sent to state prison, gave her drugs and encouraged her to have sex with others.
In recent years, Trickett said she repeatedly contacted Wilschutz about the abuse, leading up to his letters to the school community in July and September.
Peter Robbins, a member of the class of 1969, said he was shocked by the allegations against Shaw — but not by the allegations of sex abuse at the school.
Robbins, 63, of Albany, New York, said he’s testifying before the grand jury Thursday and will tell jury members he was raped by a teacher and others, that the school knew about it and nothing was done.
Robbins said a teacher and one of the teacher’s friends took him to a home off campus in 1968. He said he was drugged and awoke to find himself bleeding. He fled the home and went to the school’s headmaster, who told him he’d probably been raped.
The headmaster took Robbins to be treated for his injuries and, Robbins said, he knew what had happened. But the teacher kept teaching at the school.
“For many, many, many years, I believed it was my fault, that I did something that made them do this to me,” Robbins said. “It’s something that stays with you forever, something you learn to live with.”
After he graduated, Robbins said he moved as far away from the school as he could. He became a teacher, he said, because he wanted to make sure what happened to him didn’t happen to anyone else.
“I want to hold the school responsible,” Robbins said. “They got away with it and apparently I’m not the only one it happened to and nothing was done. They might as well have hung a sign that said ‘If you are a pedophile come here, you will get away with it.’”
Criminal charges and civil lawsuits are not likely in the cases of Robbins or Trickett because the statutes of limitations ran out a long time ago, according to state law.
Yeshiva University law professor Marci A. Hamilton said a prosecutor can bring criminal charges as of result of claims by alumni who graduated in 1995 or later. For a civil claim against the school to proceed, the plaintiff would have to be from the class of 2000 or a later class.
Hamilton, a Washington Crossing resident who has been following the Solebury School case, specializes in statutes of limitations and child protection laws and advocates for extending legal timelines.
In 2007, in the wake of a grand jury report on child sexual abuse in the Philadelphia Archdiocese, state law expanded the statute of limitations.
According to Hamilton, a prosecutor could pursue a criminal case if the sexual abuse victim hadn’t turned 30 by Jan. 27, 2007. And that victim has until his or her 50th birthday to report the crime.
Pursuing a civil claim against the school would follow a different legal timeline.
In 2002, Pennsylvania expanded the eligibility to file a civil suit in sex abuse cases after a series of coverups were documented by The Boston Globe. As a result, if someone turned 20 on or after Aug. 26, 2002, that person would have until age 30 to file a civil suit against a perpetrator of child abuse.
In the Solebury School case, she said, a victim who graduated in 2000 or later would be legally able to file a civil suit.
There is no legal remedy for allegations by victims who fall outside the statute of limitations, Hamilton said.
“The impact of not being able to obtain justice — they never get that moment where society says to them: This is not your fault,” Hamilton said.
Hamilton said survivors of child abuse experience shame and guilt. According to her experience, the average survivor reaches his or her early 40s before making allegations.
But, she said, there are some cases where people haven’t come forward until their 80s and others where kids have reported being abused.
There’s a lot of embarrassment and humiliation felt by victims, Hamilton said, and usually they’re dealing with someone — a parent, a teacher or another adult — who they love and they don’t know how to process the abuse.
Trickett said she knows there won’t be any charges in her case and no lawsuit. She said she does know there are allegations of abuse in 2005 that could lead to charges. And she said she’s glad for that victim. But there are more than just charges and lawsuits to be considered, she said.
“We can hold the school responsible for a crime that was covered up for decades — that needs to be known,” Trickett said. “We were dishonored as children. Now they can show us some honor.”