Justice for Silent Voices is an informal group started by the members of Professor Sarah Nededog's SW110 Introduction to Community Services on Guam class. We are trying to bring awareness to the newly enacted public laws of Public Law 31-06 (Bill No. 33-31), Public Law 31-07 (Bill No. 34-31), and Public Law 31-69 (Bill No. 135-31). Public Law 31-06 (Bill No. 33-31) repeals the statue of limitation
s for those under the age of the majority, which is 18 years of age, that have been sexually abused. This allows for sexual abusers to be prosecuted at any time after the abuse had taken place. There is no longer a window or time frame in which the the sexual abuse victim must come forward. Prior to this law being passed, one had up to three years after the majority age, so up until the age of 21, to report the sexual assault. Public Law 31-07 (Bill No. 34-31) was enacted on March 09, 2011. Majority of public laws are prospective, meaning that it is only applicable from hear on out, and not retrospective, applying to those who were affected by the issue before the passing of the law. For those victims who had been sexually assaulted before the time of the public laws passing, they have a two year window for a victim to file suit in civil court not criminal court. The only compensation that these victims can now get are monetary and in punitive damages.
* Make note that on Guam the employer cannot be sued only the person
Public Law 31-69 (Bill No. 135-31) lifted Public lLaw 31-06 to encompass all ages and not only children. It released the statue of limitations on all crimes of the first or second degree criminal sexual conduct. The repeal would apply prospectively. This means that the repeal applies to any such offense except an offense the prosecution of which would have been barred by the existing three-year statute of limitations.
