G&E represents survivors of child sex abuse, helping them bring justice to the perpetrators who harmed them. G&E principal Barbara Hart is currently representing dozens of sex abuse survivors under the New York law known as The Child Victims Act, bringing claims against priests, coaches, doctors and others for sexual assaults that occurred decades ago.
The New York Child Victims Act is a law that grants survivors of child sex abuse in New York an extended window of time to come forward with their claims. The Act:
- Opened a two-year look-back window for sex abuse survivors of any age to file actions against abusers and/or institutions that covered up their crimes, even if the incident(s) occurred decades ago
- Allows survivors to bring a sex abuse lawsuit until they reach 55 years old (previously 23)
- Holds sex abuse perpetrators criminally liable for an increased amount of time
- Offers an opportunity for sex abuse claims to be revived that were previously time-barred
The Act went into effect in 2019, with New York, like several other states, recognizing that survivors carry these memories for their entire lives and were often incapable of acting on their own behalf sooner. Many states, including New York and New Jersey, have addressed that truth by lifting the statute of limitations for survivors to bring a claim. These survivors now have more time to bring lawsuits against their abusers.
Currently, G&E represents dozens of adult survivors of sexual abuse who are bringing claims against the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York, Maryknoll, Rockefeller University Hospital and the Boy Scouts of America. Many survivors had lodged claims spanning 35 years against youth sports coach Edwin “Ted” Gaynor, who had confessed to some of his acts.
Survivors often feel a sense of catharsis; solidarity with other survivors and solidarity with the child they once were who suffered at the hands of a pedophile. For more information about how G&E helps adult survivors of sexual abuse, please click here.
