Some experts have ranked Ohio as one of the worst states for legislation on prosecuting sex crimes against children. The window to file charges against people who commit sex crimes against children is 20 to 25 years from the incident but with age caps, and survivors who are over 30 can’t sue their attackers. There’s new interest in those laws because of recent high profile cases.
The story of a 10 year old rape victim going to Indiana for an abortion after Ohio’s six-week ban took effect is one reason why Democratic Sen. Nickie Antonio wants the statutes of limitations on child sex assault and abuse erased.
“With these strict bans, if even makes it more necessary, I believe, to lift the statute of limitations entirely.”
Nearly 300 survivors have accused Ohio State Dr. Richard Strauss of sexually abusing them when they were athletes at Ohio State from 1977 to 1998. OSU has paid out more than $60 million in settlements, but under current law, Strauss could not be prosecuted or sued even if he hadn’t died by suicide in 2005.