BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) \u2014 A new California law is offering renewed hope to some survivors of sexual assault, allowing them a second chance to seek justice even if their abuse occurred years ago.<\/p>\n
The Justice for Survivors of Sexual Assault Act opens a temporary window for survivors over the age of 18 to sue their abuser, as well as any private organization that helped cover up the assault. This applies even if the statute of limitations has already expired.<\/p>\n
For survivor and advocate Odessa Perkins, the law represents progress but also highlights gaps that still remain.<\/p>\n
\u201cMe being a child, you assume adults have the power and you\u2019re supposed to listen,\u201d Perkins said.<\/p>\n
Perkins shared the painful reality of growing up without protection, where trust was broken and her voice silenced. She says her experiences began in childhood and continued into her late teens.<\/p>\n
\u201cFrom being touched into my late teens, I\u2019ve been sexually assaulted, molested, raped, trafficked, groomed, and experienced domestic violence. I\u2019ve experienced it all,\u201d Perkins said.<\/p>\n
Despite her trauma, Perkins has continued to fight back working on legislation aimed at combating human trafficking and supporting other survivors. She says the new law is a meaningful step forward.<\/p>\n
\u201cAny bill that starts somewhere is a win for survivors,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
However, Perkins points out a critical limitation: the law does not apply to survivors who were assaulted as children, meaning it does not create new legal options for people like her.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy does this bill only apply to those 18 and older? That\u2019s where the work still needs to be done,\u201d Perkins said. \u201cBut I do commend those who put it forward it\u2019s a step in the right direction.\u201d<\/p>\n
Another concern is the bill\u2019s limited timeframe. Survivors will only be able to file civil lawsuits during a two-year window from January 1, 2026, to December 31, 2027.<\/p>\n
\u201cAfter two years, then what?\u201d Perkins asked. \u201cDoes it just go away? What happens if someone is assaulted after that fact?\u201d<\/p>\n
Local data shows the urgency of the issue. According to the District Attorney\u2019s Office, the Kern County Sheriff\u2019s Office responded to 431 sex offense reports in unincorporated Kern County over the past two years. In Bakersfield, police responded to 474 reported sex offenses and 104 stalking cases during that same period.<\/p>\n
When asked what justice still looks like to her, Perkins said she wants continued action.<\/p>\n
\u201cI want to see more spotlight on survivors and for the California Senate to keep bringing forward bills that truly help us,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Survivors who believe this law may apply to them are encouraged to speak with a qualified attorney to better understand their legal options. More information about the Justice for Survivors of Sexual Assault Act is also available on our website.<\/p>\n
Stay in Touch with Us Anytime, Anywhere:<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) \u2014 A new California law is offering renewed hope to some survivors of sexual assault,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":113075,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[151,155,153,152,162],"class_list":{"0":"post-113074","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-bakersfield","8":"tag-bakersfield","9":"tag-bakersfield-downtown","10":"tag-bakersfield-headlines","11":"tag-bakersfield-news","12":"tag-kern-county-news"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/113074","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=113074"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/113074\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/113075"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=113074"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=113074"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=113074"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}