In a promising step forward for survivor rights, the Rhode Island House recently passed a groundbreaking bill that empowers victims of childhood sexual abuse to file civil lawsuits against individuals or institutions whose negligence “caused or contributed to” their harm. This significant change confronts the systemic shield often afforded to abusers when powerful institutions look the other way.
The bill will next move to the Senate, where it must pass to reach the governor’s desk. Please contact your senator in Rhode Island and ask them to vote in favor of this bill.
What Rhode Island’s Bill Will Do If Enacted
- Creates a defined period during which survivors can sue institutions linked to their abuse—even if decades have passed.
- Targets negligent institutions, including schools, churches, social services, and other organizations that failed to intervene.
- Acknowledges delayed disclosure, recognizing that many survivors don’t come forward until adulthood.
Although the law doesn’t void NDAs like Missouri’s Trey’s Law, it breaks down the legal wall of invisibility that institutions have used to avoid accountability.
How This Law Will Stands Out in the National Context
California, New Jersey, Arizona, Washington, Illinois, and Oregon
These states have taken important steps toward justice by enacting revival or “window” laws, which allow survivors of childhood sexual abuse to file civil lawsuits even after the standard statute of limitations has expired. While the length and scope of these windows vary, they all acknowledge the reality of delayed disclosure and give survivors a second chance at accountability. Rhode Island’s proposed law follows in the footsteps of these reforms—helping ensure that institutions can no longer hide behind the clock to escape justice.
Why This Matters for Justice
- Survivors deserve justice: Survivors frequently remain silent for years due to shame, fear, and legal or emotional barriers—long after NDAs or statutes of limitation have lapsed.
- Institutional accountability increases: Establishing a civil path to justice when institutions fail shows communities that organizations can no longer hide behind bureaucratic or legal protections.
- Healing is supported: Laws like this give survivors the legal and emotional affirmation that their experiences matter and that the system can work for them—not against them.
What Survivors in Rhode Island Should Know
- Check deadlines: This bill introduces a new timeframe for survivors to bring suit—potentially even decades after the abuse occurred. Timing matters, so don’t wait.
- NDAs don’t shield institutions here: Even if you signed a nondisclosure agreement in the past, this law gives you a path forward.
- Negligent institutions are within reach: Not just the abuser, but any entity that “caused or contributed to” the harm—like schools, camps, churches, or care facilities.
- Call Your Senator Now!
Your Next Steps
- Contact civil attorneys (like our team at Andreozzi + Foote) to assess your situation and any signed agreements.
- Gather documentation, even from long ago—school records, therapy notes, or correspondence that show negligence.
- Reach out immediately—meet the legal window and learn what claims you may pursue.
We’re Ready to Help
Andreozzi + Foote has helped survivors across the country, in every state that has made meaningful legal reform—from California and New Jersey to Missouri and beyond. Rhode Island now joins this growing movement toward truth, justice, and healing.
If you were a survivor of childhood sexual abuse in Rhode Island—or elsewhere—and wonder if this law applies to you, please reach out. We offer confidential, trauma-informed consultations and will listen without judgment to determine if you have a path to justice.
Let this be your moment. Survivors’ voices are powerful—and with your story, change becomes unstoppable.
Contact us today for a free, confidential consultation. Let’s explore your options together, and let your truth be heard. 866-753-5458
