Catholic Church Groups Fight Bills To Revive Old Sex Abuse Cases

It's important to say right upfront that this isn't a story about pedophile priests.

Bridie Farrell is Roman Catholic, but she says it was an adult mentor for her sports team, not a priest, who sexually assaulted her when she was a teenager. "It happened at his house, in his car, in his hotel room," Farrell says.

Farrell did what a lot of kids do when they're molested: She kept silent. But 18 years later, when she was 31 years old, she went public with her story. The problem is that there's a ticking clock.

In a lot of states, including New York, where Farrell was assaulted, if you don't report a rape or file a civil lawsuit fast enough, the perpetrator — whether it's a coach or relative or a priest — gets off scot-free. But there is a growing effort in statehouses across the country to make it easier to prosecute or sue people who sexually abuse children. Victims rights groups hope some old cases can be reopened, but they face opposition from Roman Catholic leaders, who say the changes could target them unfairly and could bankrupt church organizations....
http://www.npr.org/2016/08/24/484995344/catholic-church-groups-fight-bills-to-revive-old-sex-abuse-cases