Sex abuse victims call for change to RI statute of limitations

By John Krinjak

Email: jkrinjak@abc6.com

Twitter: @johnkrinjakABC6

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — At the State House Monday night, a call for action by victims and lawmakers to extend Rhode Island’s civil statute of limitations on child sex crimes to 35 years.

"The statute of limitations just protects criminals. That’s all it does," said sex abuse survivor Ann Hagan Webb. 

Right now underage victims have just seven years to file a claim against their abusers.

"This is about giving voice to the victims," said sex abuse survivor Kim Hardy Erskine. 

The renewed calls come following a grand jury report rocking Pennsylvania’s Catholic church. It alleges more than a thousand cases of child sex abuse were covered up, The pedophile priests were, in many cases, shuffled to other parishes.

"I think it’s part of the playbook in every state," said Jim Scanlan of Providence, who was raped by his teacher at Boston College High School in the 1970s.

Scanlan’s story was featured in the movie "Spotlight." For him, the Pennsylvania case opened old wounds.

"On Tuesday when that report came out, it was mentally exhausting. It was those feelings all over again," said Scanlan.

He says the Catholic Church in Rhode Island has lobbied against the statute of limitations bill, knowing abuse on that level is happening here too. The bill failed to reach the floor for a vote this past session. 

"They killed the bill, absolutely. They killed the bill," said Scanlan. "Certainly it’s about the money."

The Rhode Island Catholic Conference says they "will continue to work with the general assembly on any proposed legislation that would prospectively extend the statute of limitations." That means it would only apply to future cases of abuse. But legislators argue that still leaves these victims helpless.

"The tenets of the Catholic faith require that somebody admit if you’ve harmed another person, ask for forgiveness–and I don’t see those steps happening"" said Sen. Donna Nesselbush. 

These victims are also asking Rhode Island’s Attorney General to call for an investigation into abuse within the Diocese of Providence. They want Bishop Tobin to release the names of all 125 priests accused of child abuse in the diocese, so families can protect themselves if those priests are still active.

© WLNE-TV / ABC6 2018