Pennsylvania legislators are looking at new opportunities in legislation as it relates to child sexual abuse victims.

In October, an argument over a bill that would have enabled more Catholic Church sexual abuse victims to sue the church in Pennsylvania halted a step that victims believed would be progress for their suffering.  The bill would amend the statute of limitations to allow victims to bring claims over abuse that happened much farther back in time.

The newest session for the Pennsylvania legislature just kicked off in January, and victims of prior abuse hope this will be the year they get their legislation passed.

As of now, some dioceses within Pennsylvania have opened up temporary victim funds for compensation as a result of what was shared in the grand jury report. Since there are no other methods at present that would enable a victim to take legal action barred by the statute of limitations, the victims funds might be the only options for Pennsylvania Catholic Church sexual abuse victims.

Some of the victims who have gone public with their stories have been contacted about taking an offer of compensation through those funds. This option, however, does come with a limitation: giving up the right to pursue separate legal action over the abuse issues. Certain victims would rather hold the allegedly abusive priests accountable than give up their opportunity to receive a cash offer in the short term.

Many of the victims who have come forward have long since aged beyond the current statute of limitations, which blocked their right to sue once they hit age 20. While some victims were comfortable with accepting money from the compensation fund, others believe that it puts the power for addressing the issue in the hands of the very church that allowed the abuse to continue and be covered up.

Some of the victims believe that court cases will be their only chance to expose hidden abuse and the names of priests who were involved in sexual abuse against young men and boys. Pursuing a lawsuit is an uncertain avenue and could certainly take longer, whereas the appeal of the victims fund payment is fast but ends the right to sue.

When the results of the Pennsylvania grand jury investigation were released, the recommendation was to allow victims a longer period of time to sue and to allow prosecutors the chance to pursue criminal charges against abusive priests. At the time a law was suggested in the Pennsylvania legislature along those lines, it was opposed strongly by leaders in the Catholic Church and the majority of legislators in office.

New York recently passed a law that would allow victims in that state to pursue options due to a broadened statute of limitations. The New York law came about after several years of tries to pass such legislation without success, and other neighboring states are also exploring expanded statutes of limitations.