Democrats introduce bill to end statute of limitations on civil sexual abuse cases

Democrats in Congress introduced Virginia's Law, a bill aimed at eliminating the statute of limitations and jurisdictional restrictions in civil sexual abuse cases. The legislation, named in honor of Virginia Giuffre, seeks to provide justice for abuse victims regardless of how much time has passed since the crime. This action follows the release of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein, whose abuse survivors joined lawmakers on Capitol Hill to advocate for the bill. While Congress previously removed the statute of limitations for child sex abuse victims in 2022, that change was not retroactive. Virginia's Law also clarifies that traffickers cannot evade accountability by committing abuses across different jurisdictions.

In February 2026, US Senator Chuck Schumer introduced federal legislation aimed at eliminating the statute of limitations for sex trafficking offenses. The announcement was made alongside survivors of Jeffrey Epstein's abuse. The proposed law, named "Virginia's Law" after Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre, seeks to remove legal protections that have historically shielded sex traffickers from prosecution. The goal of the legislation is to provide victims with a greater opportunity to seek justice, regardless of how much time has passed since the abuse occurred. The bill aims to address perceived inadequacies in current federal law regarding the prosecution of sex trafficking crimes.