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Open Legislate to apply current abuse laws to historic cases, including sentencing

Created by Mandi Blake
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We urge the Government to pass a law to apply current abuse laws to historic abuse cases and ensure all laws and sentencing frameworks reflect our current understanding of trauma and barriers to disclosure; ensuring survivors receive fair treatment and meaningful access to justice.

We believe the law has changed to reflect society's understanding of the seriousness & lasting impact of historic abuse. However, many legal cases and decisions are governed by laws that existed when the abuse occurred. We believe this risks creating injustice, as it fails to recognise the realities faced by many victims. Survivors do not always disclose abuse immediately due to fear, trauma, shame, manipulation, or a lack of support. In many cases, disclosure can occur years or even decades after the abuse.

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    If this petition gets 10,000 signatures, government will respond to it.

    If this petition gets 100,000 signatures, it will be considered for debate in Parliament.

    This petition will stay open until 24 January 2027.