To Our Elected Officials,

On behalf of the undersigned survivor advocates, service providers, researchers, and organizations working in the fields of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking prevention and response, we write in strong support of federal legislation introduced by Senator Chuck Schumer known as “Virginia’s Law” S.3815.

Virginia’s Law would eliminate the federal statute of limitations for civil claims brought by survivors of sex trafficking and sexual abuse, including actions under existing federal trafficking statutes. The legislation would also provide a limited revival (“lookback”) window to allow previously time-barred claims to proceed. By removing arbitrary legal deadlines, this bill aligns federal law with trauma science
and public safety best practices.

Those of us who work directly with survivors understand a fundamental reality that trauma does not operate on a legal clock.

Extensive research demonstrates that survivors of child sexual abuse frequently
delay disclosure for many years, and often decades. Studies indicate that many
survivors do not disclose abuse until well into adulthood, with some reporting
delays of 10 to 30 years. Trauma-related symptoms — including dissociation, shame,
fear of retaliation, coercive control, and complex post-traumatic stress — can
significantly impair a survivor’s ability to report abuse within arbitrary statutory
deadlines.

Importantly, delayed disclosure is not limited to survivors. Witnesses, bystanders,
and even institutional insiders may also require years before feeling safe or
compelled to come forward. Power dynamics, professional risk, fear of retaliation,
institutional loyalty pressures, and fear of community consequences can silence
those who observed or suspected abuse. When statutes of limitation expire before
survivors and witnesses are prepared to speak, critical corroborating evidence is
permanently lost.