US writer sues Donald Trump as Adult Survivors Act comes into effect

Former US president Donald Trump has been sued by journalist and writer E Jean Carroll for allegedly raping her in the 1990s. Carroll is among the first to sue under the Adult Survivors Act that came into effect on Thursday.

The new law lifts the statute of limitations for a one-year period on civil claims for sexual offences. It allows victims to file cases against their alleged abusers even if the incident took place long ago and statutes of limitations have expired.

The 78-year-old filed a complaint in Manhattan federal court against Trump. In her complaint, Carroll has alleged that the attack took place in a New York luxury department store dressing room over 27 years ago.

She has also filed a defamation case after Trump accused her of lying when she first made these allegations in 2019 and further termed her claims ‘fiction’. A civil trial for the case is scheduled for 6 February.

In a statement, Carroll’s attorney, Roberta Kaplan, said that the new lawsuit filed on Thursday is intended to hold Trump accountable for the alleged assault. Alina Habba, who represents Trump, told the US media that she respects and admires people who come forward “this case is, unfortunately, an abuse of the purpose of this Act” and “runs the risk of delegitimising the credibility of actual victims.”

Many advocates for sexual abuse survivors believe that the legislation provides an opportunity for people to come forward, who did not take action earlier due to trauma or fear of retaliation. Notably, several states including New Jersey, California, Arizona, and Montana, have also extended or temporarily eliminated their statutes of limitation on sexual offences.

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