A new law will remove the statute of limitations for sexual assault crimes in Illinois.
Lawmakers passed House Bill 2135 this spring. Oswego state Rep. Keith Wheeler introduced the measure in the House. Aurora state Sen. Linda Holmes introduced the Senate version. The law will remove the statute of limitations for the prosecution of sexual assault crimes against adults.
General Counsel for the Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault Sarah Beuning said the new law was “a very big deal in the message it sends to survivors about how serious sexual assault is as a crime.”
Beuning said the existing statute of limitations required sexual assault victims to report the crime to law enforcement within three years and allowed prosecutors up to ten years to file charges against the offender.
Good, this will open door for more false rapes, maybe against Mr. Keith Wheeler
This ties in with the moral outrage that’s usually associated with anything related in this field.
Tack on the #metoo movement to this to make it seem more logical. So, no statute of limitations? Every single person you’ve ever had sex with now has the greenlight to file charges against you.
Making America great again indeed. (That’s directed at ALL politicians)
This is purely a political move to score points with voters. Sexual assaults between adults are difficult to prosecute as it is. Without physical evidence or witnesses other than the victim it is a he said she said sort of situation and there is little ability for LE to do much to bring charges that would succeed. As time goes on, it’s far more difficult, if not impossible to obtain new evidence, and find new witnesses that would be reliable enough to sustain a conviction. That’s not to say they can’t bring charges but what chance of success would they have short of an admission by the perpetrator? There aren’t likely to be many charges filed for this outside of the previous statute of limitations, if any.