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  • PART III COURTS, JUDICIAL OFFICERS AND PROCEEDINGS IN CIVIL CASES
    (Chapters 211 through 262)
  • TITLE V STATUTES OF FRAUDS AND LIMITATIONS
  • CHAPTER 260 LIMITATION OF ACTIONS
  • Section 4C Sexual abuse of minors

  Section 4C. Actions for assault and battery alleging the defendant sexually abused a minor shall be commenced within three years of the acts alleged to have caused an injury or condition or within three years of the time the victim discovered or reasonably should have discovered that an emotional or psychological injury or condition was caused by said act, whichever period expires later; provided, however, that the time limit for commencement of an action under this section is tolled for a child until the child reaches eighteen years of age.

[ Second paragraph effective until February 19, 2012. For text effective February 19, 2012, see below.]

  For purposes of this section, "sexual abuse'' shall mean the commission of any act against a minor as set forth in section thirteen B, 13B1/2, 13B3/4, thirteen H, twenty-two, twenty-two A, 22B, 22C, twenty-three, 23A, 23B, twenty-four or twenty-four B of chapter two hundred and sixty-five or section two, three, four, four A, four B, seven, eight, thirteen, seventeen, twenty-nine A, thirty-four, thirty-five or thirty-five A of chapter two hundred and seventy-two.

[ Second paragraph as amended by 2011, 178, Sec. 19 effective February 19, 2012. For text effective until February 19, 2012, see above.]

  For purposes of this section, "sexual abuse'' shall mean the commission of any act against a minor as set forth in section thirteen B, 13B1/2, 13B3/4, thirteen H, twenty-two, twenty-two A, 22B, 22C, twenty-three, 23A, 23B, twenty-four, 24B or subsection (b) of section 50 of chapter two hundred and sixty-five or section two, three, four, four A, four B, seven, eight, thirteen, seventeen, twenty-nine A, thirty-four, thirty-five or thirty-five A of chapter two hundred and seventy-two.