AUGUSTA - The Maine House voted Tuesday to advance a bill by Rep. Lori Gramlich, D-Old Orchard Beach, that would help victims of childhood sexual abuse access justice. The bill earned initial approval with unanimous consent.
"As a kid, I knew I couldn't 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," said Gramlich. "As a social worker, I have worked my entire professional life to affect systemic change and to give voice to fellow survivors."
Gramlich's bill 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. Research shows that survivors' average age at the time of reporting child sexual abuse is about 52 years old.
The measure faces additional votes in the House and Senate.
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