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The San Francisco Chronicle reports today that a surge of sexual assault lawsuits has put Los Angeles County in financial jeopardy, with county officials warning that settlements and judgments could reach billions of dollars. While California faces some of the most extensive legal challenges, it is far from alone. Across the United States, public entities—including school districts and county governments—are confronting the financial realities of compensating survivors of sexual abuse while maintaining essential services.
California’s crisis stems from Assembly Bill 218 (AB218), a landmark law that extended the statute of limitations for child sexual abuse claims and opened a three-year window for survivors with older claims to file lawsuits. More than 7,000 people have sued Los Angeles County alone, citing abuse in foster care, juvenile detention, and other county-run programs. The financial fallout has led county attorneys to claim that Los Angeles may go bankrupt. But survivors and their advocates argue that compensating victims is a long-overdue necessity, regardless of the financial strain on public institutions.
Beyond California: A Growing National Crisis
Maryland has faced similar challenges. After expanding its own statute of limitations for child sexual abuse cases, the state has seen a surge in lawsuits, particularly targeting the Catholic Church and public institutions. The state’s Archdiocese of Baltimore filed for bankruptcy in 2023, citing the financial burden of settlements and litigation. Public schools and government agencies are now bracing for potential financial repercussions.
New York’s Child Victims Act of 2019 also opened a temporary filing window for survivors with previously expired claims. Thousands of lawsuits followed, affecting not only religious institutions but also public schools, juvenile facilities, and foster care systems. As in California and Maryland, concerns arose over whether government entities could absorb the financial impact.
Similar debates are unfolding in New Jersey (which also enacted a Child Victims Act in 2019), Pennsylvania, and other states that have extended the legal window for child sexual abuse claims. While these laws provide justice for survivors who were previously denied the opportunity to hold their abusers accountable, they also introduce financial uncertainty for the public institutions named in lawsuits.
The Survivor’s Perspective: What Justice Should Look Like
For survivors, the argument that compensating victims could lead to financial ruin for counties and school districts is a painful one. The trauma of sexual abuse often carries lifelong consequences—emotional, psychological, and financial. Many survivors struggle with medical expenses, therapy costs, and lost wages due to the effects of their abuse. Hearing that the institutions responsible for their suffering claim they cannot afford to pay for the harm done can feel like another round of betrayal.
Survivors and their advocates argue that public institutions must be held accountable, regardless of financial consequences. If counties and school districts claim they lack the funds to settle these cases, they should seek state or federal assistance rather than attempting to deny survivors justice. Some legal experts suggest that governments could establish survivor compensation funds to spread financial responsibility over time, similar to programs created for other large-scale victim compensation efforts, such as the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund.
The Future of Survivor Justice Laws
As more states pass laws to extend the statute of limitations for sexual abuse claims, the financial and legal debates will continue. States that have not yet enacted similar laws may look to California, Maryland, and New York for lessons on managing the impact. Future legislation may include built-in financial protections, such as state-backed insurance pools or structured settlement funds, to prevent counties and school districts from claiming financial distress as a defense.
Despite the financial pushback, survivors and their advocates remain steadfast in their belief that justice should not be contingent on a government entity’s budget. Holding institutions accountable is an essential step in preventing future abuse, enforcing better protections, and ensuring survivors receive the compensation they deserve.
