AUGUSTA - The Legislature's Judiciary Committee voted last week to advance a bill by Rep. Lori Gramlich, D-Old Orchard Beach, that would help victims access justice. The vote was 7-5.
"As a kid, I knew I couldnt change what happened to me, but I also knew that, when I was a grown-up, I would do my best to make things better for others. As a social worker, I have worked my entire professional life to effect systemic change and to give voice to fellow survivors," said Gramlich.
Gramlichs bill, as amended, would eliminate the current statute of limitations to allow survivors of child sexual abuse to seek justice through the courts regardless of when the abuse occurred.
"I want fellow survivors to hear this: You are not defined by your abuse," said Gramlich. "You deserve to be heard and believed. You deserve justice. That is what this bill is about."
Many survivors of childhood sexual abuse wait to report or never report their abuse, even into adulthood. Developmentally, children do not have the emotional and cognitive skills to process such traumatic experiences.
The measure faces additional votes in the House and Senate in the coming weeks.
Gramlich is a longtime social worker and public health advocate who is currently serving her second term in the Maine House. She is a member of the Taxation Committee and the Environment and Natural Resources Committee.
Contact:
Jackie Merrill [Gramlich], c. 812-1111