Child Victims Act's passage culminates emotional day

Several legislators told their personal stories during the debates.

“I am a sexual abuse survivor,” said Sen. Alessandra Biaggi (D-Bronx). “The shame that abuse creates turns oftentimes into silence, and without a system that encourages and protects victims to share their experiences, the trauma manifests in many different forms. For me, that silence lasted for 25 years, and it is almost unthinkable that i could stand here as a New York state senator to speak about something I thought I would probably take to my grave.”