The media coverage of the Cornell 7 rape case has fueled a lot of new phone calls to the office from victims asking for my help. College rape cases are not new, but the publicity that this one has generated across all platforms has brought Coming Forward After Sexual Assault cases to the forefront. These university cases are mostly handled within the Title IX administrative hearings, and so it is rare that we hear about them unless there is a case brought in the criminal courts or a civil lawsuit if brought against the school.
There are many victims who saw this case in the press, and decided that they too wanted to come forward. We are happy to help. Unfortunately, there are many calls fielded where the statute of limitations has run, and the issue that needs to be researched is whether or not the state where the case originates has a “lookback window” in accordance with the many Survivor Act legislation. These laws allow for a case that has been deemed “too old” to then move forward because the state has opened up a door for those cases to walk through, because they are aware that sex crimes quite often have delayed reports. This is an opportunity to revive a case where otherwise there would be none.
These laws usually have a designated time period for one to bring a case, along with certain case specifications that must be met in order to proceed. There are some exceptions to the law but again, each state is different. If you feel that you might have waited to file a case, but now you do want to come forward, contact the office and we can check and see what state laws need to be researched in order to see if your case can proceed in accordance with the laws of that state.