Herbig bill to help victims of sexual assault receives unanimous, bipartisan support in committee

AUGUSTA — On Wednesday, a bill by Sen. Erin Herbig, D-Belfast, to help victims of sexual assault and protect Maine communities was unanimously supported by the Legislature’s Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee. LD 67, “An Act To Ensure Access to Justice for Victims of Sexual Assault,” would extend the statute of limitations on prosecuting many sex crimes from eight to 20 years.

“Many victims of sexual assault wait to report, or in some cases don’t come forward at all. Many wait because they worry that no one will believe them, or the intimidating nature of the justice system is just too much,” said Sen. Herbig. “Too many victims worry that coming forward could negatively impact their careers, safety or standing in the community. History show us that these are all completely valid concerns. This bill will give victims more time to receive the justice they deserve.”

Under current law, perpetrators of felony-level sex crimes must be prosecuted within eight years of the crime. Only three other states in the country have shorter statutes of limitations. LD 67 would lengthen the statute of limitations for prosecution of Class A, B and C crimes involving unlawful sexual contact or gross sexual assault from eight years to 20 years. Due to constitutional constraints, this bill would not apply retroactively.

According to the Maine Coalition Against Sexual Assault, one in five Mainers will experience sexual assault at some point in their lifetime. Each year, 14,000 Mainers will experience sexual violence. However, most of these crimes go unreported. In 2017 in Maine, only 448 instances of sexual assault or attempted sexual assault were reported to law enforcement. Additionally, lack of prosecution means serial offenders remain at large in Maine communities.

The bill will now face votes before the full Maine House and Senate.