Illinois removes statute of limitations for sex crimes

With a new year comes new laws.

Illinois is now the eighth state to completely remove the statute of limitations for prosecuting sex crimes.

Governor J.B. Pritzker signed the legislation in July 2019, two years after the state abolished a time limit for prosecuting sex crimes against people under the age of 18.

Prosecutors previously had 10 years to present a case and bring charges if an offense was reported to law enforcement within three years of it occurring.

Now, there will be no time limit for reporting the crimes, or prosecuting.

Herb Schultz, an attorney in Illinois, says "At any time a prosecutor can bring a case. It's no longer limited by how long ago it occurred."

Schultz tells TV6, "If you feel as though you've been wronged, you should go and at least talk to the prosecutor, have someone hear your voice... also talk to a counselor or someone else to make sure this is going to help you."

Family Resources, a local nonprofit, serves survivors of violent crimes, including sexual assault and domestic violence in both Iowa and Illinois.

Illinois Director of Survivor Services for Family Resources, Emily Gordon, tells TV6, "It's really important that there be a lot of space and time for people to come forward when they are ready and on their own timeline. They've already lost control in some other areas and they really need to be able to be empowered to take control back."

Gordon says, "We always just kind of meet survivors where they are so they get to make those choices about what they want to report, when they want to report, and if they want to report. We want to just start from a place of believing people, supporting them, and letting them know how sorry we are that this happened and letting them know it's not their fault. Because those are usually the biggest things. Survivors need to be heard, believed, and know it's not their fault."

Family resources works with agencies statewide in both states, and the organization is a part of the Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault, which lobbied to make the change in Illinois happen.

The organization has a location for survivors of violent crimes, including sex abuse crimes, in Moline, located at 1521 47th Ave and in Davenport at 2800 Eastern Ave.

A 24-hour, staffed crisis hotline is available, free of charge, in both Iowa and Illinois.

The number for people calling in Illinois is (309)-797-1777, and for those in Iowa, (563)-326-9191.

For people looking for support in other states, or who may be interested in reaching out to the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN), you can contact them on their national hotline of (800)-656-4673. More information on the hotline is below in the original article.

On Friday Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker signed legislation to remove the statute of limitations on sex crimes.

The law, which goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2020, will eliminate a 10-year statute of limitations for prosecuting criminal sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual assault and aggravated criminal sexual abuse.

Advocates say this new law is a step forward for both survivors of sex crimes, as well as public safety.

Camille Cooper, the Vice President of Public Policy at the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN) says, "When states abolish their statute of limitations, what they're doing basically is opening up the doors of justice and signaling to survivors that it's safe for them to come forward."

RAINN is the country's largest anti-sexual assault nonprofit in the United States.

The organization offers resources for survivors of sexual assault, as well as their loved ones.

The number for RAINN's national hotline is: (800)-656-4673.

According to the organization's website, when you call the number, you are routed to an affiliate organization based on the first six digits of the phone number you're calling from.

Cell phone callers, the site says, will even have the option to enter the ZIP code of their current location to find the nearest sexual assault service provider.

For more information on the services offered by RAINN, you can visit their site

Family Resources, a local nonprofit, serves survivors of violent crimes, including sexual assault and domestic violence in both Iowa and Illinois.

In Illinois, Family Resources primarily serves Rock Island County, but also parts of Henry and Mercer County.

The organization has a location for survivors of violent crimes, including sex abuse crimes, in Moline, located at 1521 47th Ave.

A 24-hour, staffed crisis hotline is available, free of charge, in both Iowa and Illinois.

The number for people calling in Illinois is (309)-797-1777, and for those in Iowa, (563)-326-9191.

Emily Gordon, Illinois Survivor Services Director of Family Resources tells TV6, "We work with survivors. We will let them come to us at any time. We can do immediate advocacy on the crisis situation, whether they report or not and then we can do ongoing advocacy and therapy for as long as it's needed."

Gordon says this new law will give survivors of these crimes the opportunity to come forward when they are ready to do so, with no time limit.

To learn more about the services offered in the Quad Cities and surrounding areas by Family Resources, you can visit their website

In nearby Iowa, there is a 15-year limitation for prosecuting crimes of sexual abuse in the first, second, and third degree. Additionally, there is a 3-year statute for assault with intent to commit sexual abuse.

Advocates tell TV6 they hope more states -- like Iowa -- will follow lead and push for change to their laws surrounding the statutes of limitations when it comes to crimes of sex abuse.