Bill > S864

This bill amends the victim of violent crime compensation law, specifically Chapter 258C of the General Laws, to provide clearer pathways for victims of childhood sexual abuse to receive compensation. It introduces provisions that allow a claimant who was sexually abused as a minor to establish "good cause" for reporting the abuse if a licensed mental health professional attests that the claimant, at the time of the abuse, did not connect the abuse to the harm suffered, and that this delayed connection is typical for victims of childhood sexual abuse. Furthermore, the bill modifies the statute of limitations, which is the time limit for filing a claim, for such victims. For claims involving sexual abuse of a minor, the three-year period to file will now begin when the claimant first connects the abuse to the harm they experienced, and a report from a licensed mental health professional confirming this connection and its typicality for victims will serve as strong evidence in legal proceedings.