Child Victims Act is an effective and innovative way to protect children from sexual predators and bring pedophiles to justice.

MILWAUKEE - Democratic gubernatorial candidate, Andy Gronik, released the following statement Wednesday regarding his support of the Child Victims Act, and commending Women’s March Wisconsin for bringing attention to this important issue:

“It is imperative for us to protect our children from sexual predators. The effects of these crimes stay with children throughout their entire lives. Often, these experiences are so scarring for the victim that it takes years for them to come forward. Child sex abuse is underreported, and the current statute of limitations in Wisconsin is a substantial barrier to victims seeking justice. That is unacceptable.

“Unfortunately, our state has had a checkered past in dealing with issues surrounding sexual violence towards children. People in positions of power were able to silence victims of the clerical abuse scandals by twisting arms and invoking statutes of limitations to keep their clients out of jail. Current Wisconsin law made their job easier by having some of the most protective laws for perpetrators of sexual crimes against children in the country. That is unconscionable. We need to change and bring justice for victims of sexual assault.

“The Child Victims Act is an effective and innovative way for us to protect children from sexual predators and bring pedophiles to justice. Current law gives unscrupulous lawyers the tools to let their pedophile clients walk away with little to no punishment if they’ve passed the statute of limitations. The Child Victims Act ensures that no child will ever be denied justice based on the statute of limitations. This is a necessary and important step needed to correct these travesties of the past. I commend the Women’s March for bringing this issue to the forefront. When I am Governor, I will work tirelessly to enact the Child Victims Act to put the law on the side of the victims of child sex abuse.”