XPost: austin.general, sac.general, alt.atheism
XPost: alt.feminism

AUSTIN, Texas – Former U.S. national team gymnasts backing a
Texas bill that would allow victims of sexual abuse more time to
sue in civil court on Monday urged the state's lawmakers to
restore a key provision allowing those individuals to sue
institutions.

A push to expand the statute of limitations laws for child sex
abuse victims is underway in statehouses nationwide as an
onslaught of lawsuits are roiling institutions like the Catholic
Church, the Boy Scouts of America and USA Gymnastics. In Texas,
lawmakers quietly removed a bill's provision allowing victims to
sue institutions and are now shielding the groups that lobbied
them to do so.

Thirty-seven states have introduced measures in 2019 to extend
the amount of time victims of sexual abuse have to file
lawsuits, according to the National Conference of State
Legislatures. But Texas is the only state where lawmakers are
trying to bar victims from taking on institutions.

Texas state Rep. Craig Goldman declined to say which groups or
lawmakers lobbied for the change in his legislation, noting
"it's all a matter of crafting the best piece of legislation
that you want to see pass."

"It's a matter of 'Look, I'm a business owner. If one of my
employees does something, am I supposed to be held accountable
for something they've done individually?'" Goldman said. "I
personally don't think so. So that's really what it came down
to. You blame institutions, businesses for things that
individuals who work for them do."

But advocates for victims say the move would further allow
institutions to ignore or cover up abuse, and deter them from
putting policies and safeguards in place that keep children safe.

"The way the (bill) has been amended is a way for the Catholic
Church and other organizations to carve themselves out and
really prevent themselves from having to face any accountability
and liability," said Michelle Simpson Tuegel, an attorney who
represents former Olympic and U.S. national team gymnasts who
were abused by Larry Nassar at a Huntsville, Texas, facility.

Michigan State University and USA Gymnastics, where Nassar
worked as a sports physician for decades, have been sued by more
than 250 girls and women. Nassar pleaded guilty and was
sentenced to 40 to 175 years in prison, on top of a 60-year
federal term for possessing child pornography.

The change in the bill mobilized former Olympic and U.S.
national team gymnasts abused by Nassar to testify at a public
hearing on Monday for a new Senate version that would allow
victims to sue institutions.

Sponsor state Sen. Kirk Watson said the bill is about survivor
empowerment, justice and prevention, and noted that "all three
are dependent on accountability not just for the individual
child molester, but also for any organization that hid any
abuse."

Watson did not know which groups lobbied to keep institutions
out of the former version of the bill.

The Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops did not respond to
multiple requests for comment from The Associated Press.

The House passed the original bill unanimously earlier this
month. The revised measure would allow child sexual abuse
victims to bring a civil lawsuit against their abuser and
institutions up to 30 years after their 18th birthday.

Under current Texas law, there is no statute of limitations to
seek criminal charges against someone for child sexual abuse.
But those sexually abused as children currently have 15 years to
file those claims in civil court after turning 18.

Sex abuse settlements have financially strained institutions in
recent years. The Catholic Church has paid out billions of
dollars to settle U.S. clergy abuse cases while USA Gymnastics
filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last year in an effort to reach
settlements. The Boy Scouts of America is now also considering a
bankruptcy petition.

Tasha Schwikert, a former Olympic gold medalist who was sexually
abused by Nassar, said USA Gymnastics enabled Nassar to abuse
athletes and sat on allegations after finding out.

"It was the toxic culture that allowed him to have a blueprint
to be able to manipulate us and molest us," Schwikert said
following her testimony Monday in Texas. "So they absolutely
have to be held accountable because our parents and you guys are
sending your children to these organizations and institutions
and just believing and assuming that these people are protecting
your kids when most of them aren't."

https://www.foxnews.com/us/gymnasts-testify-lawmakers-wont-name- abuse-bill-lobbyists
 

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