Statute of Limitations for Child Sexual Abuse in New York State and California

California is a lot like Washington State in that it allows for victims with “repressed memory” of abuse to bring suit many years after the abuse may have happened. Unfortunately, one of the most populous states in our country, New York, has failed to follow suit. Although the legislature in New York has been urged many times to change, they have clung to the original statute of limitations such as one year for an intentional tort and three years for negligent torts. It would be nice if they would be willing to change at some point to recognize that people who have been sexually assaulted are unable to come forward for many years for many different reasons.