Statute of limitations

The average age a victim of child sexual assault discloses their abuse, if at all, is 52 years old, according to ChildUSA. For this reason, a short statute of limitations prevents a substantial percentage of perpetrators of CSA from being prosecuted or held legally liable. Organizations fighting for the rights and safety of children understand this and advocate for laws that make children safer, allow CSA survivors avenues to pursue justice, and hold perpetrators of abuse accountable.

In contrast, Theresa Sidebotham, the chosen coordinator for Ethnos360/New Tribes Mission abuse investigations, has publicly called for a short statute of limitations. In fact, her coauthored paper, "Are Protestant Ministries a New Market?," argues that a 3-year statute of limitations for CSA is sufficient, which would end a survivor's ability to pursue justice at age 21. That's 30 years before the average age of disclosure.

From the persepective of a defense attorney such as Ms. Sidebotham, arguing for a short statute of limitations makes sense. They're trying to limit liability for their clients rather than looking out for the well-being of the survivor. A short statute of limitations protects the financial interests of the institutions they serve. This published argument reveals the bias of the person Ethnos360/New Tribes Mission MKs are expected to trust to listen and respond meaningfully to their stories and the priorities of the organization that hired her.