Kansas sex abuse law obstructs justice for young victims. Lawmakers can fix it now.

Kansas law demands an impossibility of young people: If they suffered childhood sexual abuse, they must file a civil case before their 21st birthday.

This is the same state where GOP leaders currently advocate a bill criminalizing gender-affirming care for those under 21. That is, they appear to believe that Kansas youths can’t possibly be mature enough to transition, but they are more than mature enough to cope with the shame and scrutiny of accusing an adult of abusing them.

Other lawmakers have advocated removing that barrier, with survivors speaking up in support. Those who experienced sexual abuse can take years, if not decades, to come to terms with their experiences. They deserve better from Kansas.

Lesa Patterson-Kinsey appeared at a news conference earlier this month with other survivors urging change.

“At 21, the majority of victims are not even able to tell another person about what happened to them, let alone begin a lawsuit that would require re-telling of their story multiple times to police officers, detectives, judges and sit in court across from their abuser,” she told me in a follow-up email. “There is a large amount of shame, fear and often they are still financially and emotionally connected to their abuser. This is especially true when the abuser is a family member. Also at 21, survivors probably wouldn’t be able to afford to bring a case.”

According to the summary of Catholic Church sexual abuse issued by the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, more than 400 children were abused since 1950. Roughly 200 members of the clergy were accused. With numbers like those, ask yourself how many more victims still live across the state and our country. Consider many men and women, now in their retirement years, must be keeping their abuse a closely guarded secret.

An investigation like this one, no matter how thorough, can only reveal a partial picture. A mere 30 cases involving 14 clergy were forwarded to district attorneys, and no charges followed. How many more people have had their own personal justice denied by state law and social opprobrium?

Take Susan Leighnor.

Now 67 and living in Colorado, the former Hutchinson resident says she was abused by clergy as a preteen. She didn’t come to terms with what happened to her — recovering traumatic memories of repeated offenses — until six years ago.

“The average age of disclosure is 52 years old,” Patterson-Kinsey said. “Therefore, the current Kansas (statute of limitations) doesn’t come close to the scientifically proven age of disclosure. By the time the survivor is in their 50s, they are usually independent and ready to tell their story. You also reach a stage in your life around your 50s when you stop requiring the approval of others, so it’s easier.

“I know it may seem odd to others that as survivors we hold our secret for so many years. However, the pain and fear which this crime creates is extremely strong, and it takes decades to become strong enough to share.”

Or as Leighnor asked plaintively during our conversation: “How many stories haven’t been told?”

Clay Wirestone is Kansas Reflector opinion editor. Through its opinion section, the Reflector works to amplify the voices of people who are affected by public policies or excluded from public debate. Find information, including how to submit your own commentary, here.