Should Time Shield Abusers? Lawmakers Move to End Federal Deadlines
Lawmakers and survivors push to remove legal deadlines that critics say have shielded powerful abusers for decades.
Author’s note: This piece contains potentially mature and upsetting mentions of sexual abuse. Reader discretion is advised. If you or somebody that you care about has survived such a crime, please take time to take care of yourself. As difficult as these issues are, keeping yourself in order is essential. Protecting and vindicating the innocent is a non-partisan issue. For immediate support, please contact the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN) here.
Following renewed scrutiny after the release of additional Epstein-related court documents, lawmakers and survivors are pushing legislation aimed at removing two of the most significant barriers to justice: time and jurisdictional laws.
Introduced by Democrats, family members of the late Virginia Giuffre, and other survivors of Jeffrey Epstein, Virginia’s Law would eliminate the federal statute of limitations for certain sex trafficking and sexual abuse offenses, though the full scope of retroactive application remains subject to legislative negotiation. Additionally, this law aims to prevent borders from rendering predators immune, making it possible for them to be tried in US courts, even if they did not commit the crimes on US soil.
This law is named after Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein’s victims and early accusers, who died by suicide last year. Giuffre’s sister-in-law, Amanda Roberts, stated: “No more laws that treat survivors as though time can erase harm…pass Virginia’s Law.”
Sexual violence is an epidemic in America with nearly half of all women and nearly one out of six men experiencing it. After effects can last a lifetime, ranging from post-traumatic stress disorder to gynecological disorders such as polycystic ovarian syndrome and endometriosis.
Statutes of limitations exist in part to preserve evidentiary integrity and protect due process as memories fade and evidence deteriorates. But trauma does not operate on a legal timetable. For many survivors , particularly children, disclosure can take years or decades. The question lawmakers now face is whether the current framework reflects psychological reality or procedural rigidity.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer framed the issue bluntly: “When the truth of Jeffrey Epstein finally started to come out, when the world finally started to listen to their stories, oftentimes the laws in the books said, ‘Sorry, it’s too late. The deadline to bring your case has passed.’ ” From the USA Gymnastics scandal to the Catholic Church, time has been a hindrance for justice.
The bill must pass both chambers of Congress and receive presidential approval before becoming law. Sigrid McCawley, a lawyer representing the family of Giuffre as well as other Epstein victims has dubbed this bill a “watershed moment for survivor’s rights”. Justice for survivors should not hinge on partisan alignment. Yet historically, survivor-centered reforms have often stalled in political crossfire.
Time does not erase harm. It does not restore childhoods, undo coercion, or heal trauma. What it often does is protect the powerful. Whether Virginia’s Law becomes federal policy will test whether lawmakers are willing to prioritize survivors over party lines.
If this strikes a nerve, please contact your representative and urge them to vote in favor of Virginia’s Law.
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