Interviewed by NBC WSAV 3 in Savannah, Georgia, Angela discusses House Bill 17 - Hidden Predator Act which extends the statute of limitations under the 2 year discovery rule and opens investigative records to victims.

Video Transcript:

Reporter: Georgia's Hidden Predator Bill will officially be signed into law by Governor Nathan Deal on Tuesday. It took months of meetings, lobbying, and backroom politics to get to this point, but what does it mean both for victims and their alleged predators? Well, News Three's Andrew Davis is joining us now with the answers. Andrew.

Andrew Davis: It’s a lot of questions for a lot of folks out there. It starts with a two-year discovery rule, a two-year retroactive window for accusers to file civil suits. Those are actually two of the major points in the new law, which is designed to give victims of abuse a voice. But what does it mean, really, and is it enough?

Angela Williams: One in four girls and one in six boys are sexually abused before they're eighteen years old.

Andrew Davis: Children abused by clergy, teachers, relatives.

Angela Williams: The median age is nine years old.

Andrew Davis: The people responsible remain on the streets. Never facing a judge or jury.

Angela Williams: Only one in ten ever tell.

Andrew Davis: Angela Williams was one of those victims herself, now an advocate for the voiceless.

Angela Williams: It's really us survivors that know the pain and know the trauma and know what it does to your life.

Andrew Davis: Her life’s work, helping others. The Voice Today CEO, was one of the leaders in Atlanta helping get the Hidden Predator Bill through the legislature.

Angela Williams: We're dealing with not even an epidemic, but a pandemic.

Andrew Davis: The law isn't just designed to stop sexual abuse now, but to focus on older victims. The ones over eighteen, the ones whose statute of limitations had run out.

Angela Williams: Victims of child sexual abuse or child rape need to know that they'll have two years, from July 15, 2015 to 2017, to file a civil suit against their perpetrator.

Andrew Davis: But the bill was watered down in committee and isn't ideal.

Angela Williams: I think that puts a lot of burden on our court system. I think it puts another barrier of entry to victims and having to prove discovery. So, there's a trial with a judge, not a jury.

Andrew Davis: Williams believes it will still benefit those victimized in the past and children who may be victims now.

Angela Williams: As victims come forward and as victims disclose in criminal court and in civil court, it gives courage for another victim to come forward.

Andrew Davis: Courage which could keep another child safe.

Angela Williams: I think it's time that we stand up and we protect the next generation of children.

Andrew Davis: Williams says there's still a stigma on victims, that many are lying about what happened. But if you look at the numbers, false disclosure of abuse is between two and 10%, no different than any other crime. Now she plans to work for an even stronger predator bill in the next legislation slated session. And that two-year window for victims to file suit this year starts July 15. Andrew Davis, WSAV News three.