| When she was in high school, Rachel Korberg was approached by a teacher who began a sexual relationship with her. When she was in her 20s, the sense lingered that something truly wrong had happened. But it wasn't until she was in her 30s — older, more resilient — that she decided to report the man, after learning that all these years later, he continued to prey on current and former students. When she did speak up: She was chagrined to learn that the statute of limitations for pursuing sexual assault charges had expired. "Legally barring survivors like me from pursuing justice because we're 'too slow' to report is nothing less than institutionalized victim blaming," Korberg writes. "Statutes of limitations make it easier for abusers to continue to exploit their power by simply beating the clock." There are many reasons victims delay or choose never to report abuse. They fear threats, manipulation or retribution. They're wary of the police. They can't imagine having to withstand the additional abuse that will inevitably be directed at them by lawyers inclined to attack survivors' character. "My report," Korberg says, "initiated a miserable 2½-year legal process that culminated in the defense attorney slut-shaming me on the witness stand." Korberg argues that survivors would be more likely to come forward if states were to end statutes of limitations for all felony sex crimes. Such a move, she says, would abolish "an unnecessary, government-imposed barrier that makes achieving justice needlessly harder."  (Ann Kiernan for The Washington Post) I was 17 when a teacher abused me. When, as an adult, I came forward to report him, I learned time had put full justice out of reach. By Rachel Korberg ● Read more » | | | | Today's deficit doves are doubling down on their hubris. By George F. Will ● Read more » | | | | Jimmy Lai would tell you all about China's darker side. But he's locked away. By Kathleen Parker ● Read more » | | | | Meta's valuation loss should teach Facebook never to build on someone else's land. By Megan McArdle ● Read more » | | | | Plaintiffs seeking to block colleges from considering race in admissions do not represent me. By Benjamin Chang ● Read more » | | | | The Wyoming congresswoman can force voters to defend our foundational principles. By Barney Frank ● Read more » | | | | The Republican National Committee is going full insurrectionist. By Greg Sargent ● Read more » | | | The league must make clear that equal opportunity policies, like the "Rooney Rule," will be enforced. By Cyrus Mehri ● Read more » | | | | The bill, from Sen. Marco Rubio and Rep. Jim Banks, could help align the party with working-class voters. By Henry Olsen ● Read more » | | | | Kevin McCarthy has enlisted the former speaker to help shape Republican strategy for the midterms. What could possibly go wrong? By Dana Milbank ● Read more » | | | | Our leaders should be identifying the root causes of the violence plaguing our city — and working together on solutions. By Colbert I. King ● Read more » | | | | Formal neutrality for Ukraine would be a strong antidote to endless conflict — if only Putin would quit the brinkmanship. By David Von Drehle ● Read more » | | | | Voters have to understand the importance of these elections. By Paul Waldman ● Read more » | | | | To treat government-owned symbols of white supremacy as a disgrace has nothing to do with airbrushing history. Letters to the Editor ● Read more » | | | |
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