Victims of childhood sexual abuse in Oklahoma can file suit within 2 years of the last act of abuse, 2 years of reaching age 18, or 2 years of reasonable discovery of  the connection between the injury and the act.

Okla. Stat. Ann. Tit. 12, § 95 Subdivision 6:

An action based on intentional conduct brought by any person for recovery of damages for injury suffered as a result of childhood sexual abuse incidents or exploitation as defined by Section 7102 of Title 10 of the Oklahoma Statutes or incest can only be brought within the latter of the following periods:

a. within two (2) years of the act alleged to have caused the injury or condition, or

b. within two (2) years of the time the victim discovered or reasonably should have discovered that the injury or condition was caused by the act or that the act caused the injury for which the claim is brought.

Provided, however, that the time limit for commencement of an action pursuant to this paragraph is tolled for a child until the child reaches the age of eighteen (18) years or until five (5) years after the perpetrator is released from the custody of a state, federal or local correctional facility or jail, whichever is later.

No action may be brought against the alleged perpetrator or the estate of the alleged perpetrator after the death of such alleged perpetrator, unless the perpetrator was convicted of a crime of sexual abuse involving the claimant.

An action pursuant to this paragraph must be based upon objective verifiable evidence in order for the victim to recover damages for injuries suffered by reason of such sexual abuse, exploitation, or incest. The evidence should include both proof that the victim had psychologically repressed the memory of the facts upon which the claim was predicated and that there was corroborating evidence that the sexual abuse, exploitation, or incest actually occurred. The victim need not establish which act in a series of continuing sexual abuse incidents, exploitation incidents, or incest caused the injury complained of, but may compute the date of discovery from the date of discovery of the last act by the same perpetrator which is part of a common scheme or plan of sexual abuse, exploitation, or incest. Provided further, any action based on intentional conduct specified in paragraph 7 of this section must be commenced within twenty (20) years of the victim reaching the age of eighteen (18).

Okla. Stat. Ann. Tit. 12, § 95 Subdivision 7:

An action based on intentional conduct brought by any person for recovery of damages for injury suffered as a result of criminal actions, as defined by the Oklahoma Statutes, may be brought against any person incarcerated or under the supervision of a state, federal or local correctional facility on or after November 1, 2003:

a. at any time during the incarceration of the offender for the offense on which the action is based, or

b. within five (5) years after the perpetrator is released from the custody of a state, federal or local correctional facility, if the defendant was serving time for the offense on which the action is based;

Resources:

• Oklahoma Statutes
• Oklahoma links and resources from Women's Law
• Oklahoma Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault

Revised 09/03/2007. Copyright Susan K. Smith. All rights reserved.