The New York Times published an editorial in support of the NY State Legislature’s Child Victim Act. The editorial is thoughtful and skillfully delineates the reasons why the bill should become law. I was particularly impressed with the editorial’s assessment of the fairness question. The Times correctly notes that fairness to victims who’ve suffered in silence and powerlessness for years far outweighs the fairness to the predators and the institutions that covered up for them.
Good for the Times! Passage of the NY abuse legislation will help those victimized by sexual predators to move from being victims to being survivors. Additionally, a purge of institutional documents detailing the cover-up will also help cleanup the institutions themselves. In the end, both survivors and the institutions will be healthier for it.