Criminal Cases for Sexual Abuse
In a criminal case, you must contact law enforcement about the sexual abuse. After an investigation, a prosecutor may file criminal charges against your alleged abuser. If the suspect is found guilty of sexual abuse, he or she may face incarceration and sex offender registration.
Under Ohio law, a prosecutor must file criminal charges within:
Adult sexual assault: 20 years from the event,
Child sexual assault: 20 years from the victim’s eighteenth birthday.
In 2015, a new law extended the statute of limitations in cases involving DNA evidence. Prosecutors now may file charges against a suspect within five years of DNA identification—even if the 20-year SOL had otherwise expired.