On February 14, 2019,
history was made with the
signing into law by Governor
Andrew Cuomo of the
“Child Victim’s Act.” This
Act will ensure that those
who abuse children are held
accountable criminally and
civilly for their wrongdoing.
In addition, this new
statue creates a path to justice
for victims. The bill
extends the civil statute of
limitations to allow civil
actions to be brought until
a victim’s 55th birthday for
child sexual abuse which occurred
before age 18. A one
year window has been created
for adult survivors to
commence civil actions for
damages which under current
law are barred because
of the statute of limitations.
This one year window will
begin on August 14, 2019 so
victims up until their 55th
birthday can bring civil
lawsuits against individuals
or public and private
institutions from churches
to public school districts for
child sexual abuse that they
may have suffered many decades
ago.
The Legislature also removes
the current Notice
of Claim requirements for
public entities in cases involving
child sexual abuse
so a Notice of Intention to
make claim against municipalities
within 90 days is not
required in order to bring a
lawsuit.
Sexual abuse against a
child is a shameful unforgivable
act. It is a traumatizing
experience that can
take a lifetime to come to
terms with. While this new
law cannot erase what happened
to victims, it will give
victims an opportunity to
recover damages in a Court
of Law for what happened to
them.
While the one year window
to bring a legal action
will not begin August 14,
2019, victims should consult
an attorney as soon as possible
to begin the painful
and arduous task of their
gathering medical records
and other evidence of their
victimization.
Governor Cuomo and the
state Legislature are to be
commended for making the
“Child Victim’s Act” a reality.
BRONX TIMES REPORTER, F 20 EBRUARY 22-28, 2019 BTR
(l-r) Raphael Schweizer, BPECA chairman; Councilman Torres and Bernadette Ferrara, VNNA
president expressed their concerns about the intersection of Morris Park Avenue and Melville
Street. Photo by Edwin Soto
Residents demand
traffi c measures at
dangerous intersection
BY ROBERT WIRSING
A busy intersection in Van Nest has
community leaders demanding change.
On Friday, February 8, Councilman
Ritchie Torres joined the Van Nest
Neighborhood Alliance and residents at
the corner of Morris Park Avenue and
Melville Street to demand the installation
of a traffi c light or other potential
traffi c calming measures at the intersection.
For years, Van Nest residents have
expressed concerns that the intersection
is dangerous for drivers attempting
to turn left or right onto Morris Park
Avenue from Melville Street where
oncoming traffi c is often blocked by
parked cars.
Torres and residents are requesting
that the NYC Department of Transportation
conduct an immediate study for a
traffi c light at the intersection.
The DOT has reported approximately
10 injuries at the intersection of
Morris Park Avenue and Melville Street
between 2010 to 2014.
“Public safety is not something the
community should have to get on its
knees and beg for,” the councilman
stated.
Torres added that there have been
approximately 53 injuries in intersections
encompassing Morris Park Avenue.
Linda White, Van Nest resident and
Community Board 11 member, witnessed
a two-car collision at the intersection
in early December 2018.
According to White, she was taking
a cab traveling from Melville Street to
Morris Park Avenue.
A car that was behind her cab on Melville
Street attempted to turn left onto
Morris Park Avenue, but was struck by
another car traveling south.
No injuries were reported, however
both vehicles sustained damage from
the collision.
White noted the intersection experiences
congestion during weekday
mornings and evenings which make
travel diffi cult for motorists and pedestrians.
She expressed concerns that the one
and a half mile DOT traffi c calming
and safety project approved over community
objections which will have two
travel lanes in either direction reduced
to one from Melville Street to Newport
Avenue will only add to the intersection’s
issues.
Bernadette Ferrara, VNNA president,
said that people have called 311
and CB 11 regarding the problematic intersection.
Jeremy Warneke, CB 11 district
manager, confi rmed that the board has
made multiple requests to DOT about
the intersection.
“As a motorist, I’ve sat at that intersection
for a long time just waiting to
turn left onto Morris Park Avenue from
Melville Street,” Ferrara explained. “I
really hope DOT will install this traffi
c light soon because road dieting is not
going to help this situation.”
Ferrara confi rmed that oncoming
traffi c is blocked by cars parked along
Morris Park Avenue making it diffi cult
for motorists to determine if it’s safe to
turn.
She also noted the lack of crosswalks
at this intersection present risks for pedestrians.
A DOT spokeswoman confi rmed
that the department received Torres’
request for a traffi c light at the intersection
and is evaluating its feasibility.
She said there were no traffi c fatalities
at the intersection since 2001, however
there have been two injuries in
2017 and one in 2015 reported at this specifi
c location.