Rebecca Surendorff, a victim of childhood sexual abuse by former Cincinnati priest Geoff Drew, has become an advocate for victims and children’s protection through her involvement with Ohioans for Child Protection. She highlights the need for reform in Ohio’s statute of limitations laws, especially concerning cases of child sexual abuse, citing Drew’s three-decade pattern of grooming children across different counties.
Despite initial hope for progress with proposed bills in Ohio to protect children, four out of five ideas, including expanding the statute of limitations to age 55 for civil claims against abusers, remain stagnant in House committees. Surendorff emphasizes the urgency of this issue, especially in a state known for being behind in statute of limitations reform compared to others.
Attorney Konrad Kircher, who has represented hundreds of child sexual abuse victims, also points out Ohio’s favorability towards powerful institutions like insurance companies, corporations, and the Catholic Church, hindering efforts for broader reforms. He emphasizes the need for more time for victims to file lawsuits, as the current age limit of 30 is still restrictive for many.
While Rep. Bill Seitz, a key figure opposing broader statute of limitations reform, has shown some flexibility in supporting bills targeting child grooming and mandatory reporters, he remains steadfast in his stance against opening Ohio’s courts to a broader range of lawsuits against organizations that employ abusers. Rep. Jessica Miranda, a survivor of rape and child sex abuse, is pushing for more comprehensive reforms and urges for Ohio not to be a safe haven for predators and abusers.
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