Maryland’s Childhood Sexual Assault Victims Await Opportunity for Justice

The “Hidden Predators Act”

Currently in Maryland, a victim of childhood sexual abuse has until his/her 38th birthday to file a lawsuit against the perpetrator and any responsible institution. Many adult survivors who were abused as children and have never come forward are now well beyond the age of 38. In fact, research shows that on average, these survivors are age 54 when they first come forward.

Over the last few years, legislative efforts have been made to open a 2-year “revival window” in Maryland which would enable childhood sexual abuse victims older than 37 to file lawsuits against their abusers and responsible institutions. In the 2019-2022 Maryland legislative sessions, the bill, known as the “Hidden Predators Act,” (HPA) failed to garner enough support for passage. This year, however, proponents of HPA, victims and victim organizations all believe that HPA has a good chance of passage by the Maryland legislature.

Maryland AG Report Fuels Efforts to Pass Hidden Predators Act

In 2022, the Maryland Attorney General filed a Motion to Unseal a Report detailing childhood sexual abuse by perpetrated by Catholic clergy serving in Maryland. The Report is based primarily on information and evidence compiled by a Maryland Grand Jury. Except in rare instances, Grand Jury proceedings, records and reports are secret and not available to the public. In this unusual Motion to Unseal, the Maryland Attorney General seeks to make the Report public so the citizens of Maryland understand the scope of child sexual abuse by Catholic clergy serving in Maryland.

According to a release of general information contained in the Report, 158 priests serving in Maryland are credibly accused of sexually abusing more than 600 children over the period of time covered by the Report. (The number of unreported cases is not known but experts generally agree that many more victims have yet to come forward.) Hearings on the AG’s Motion to Unseal the Report are underway. Because the Report is the product of Grand Jury proceedings and is currently under seal, the presiding Judge has barred the public from observing and participating in the proceedings. The Judge’s decision on the Motion to Unseal is expected in the next few weeks.