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Bulgaria resets the clock on justice for victims of childhood sexual abuse
Brave Movement
Brussels, 26 May 2026 – Last month, Bulgaria changed its law to give victims and survivors more time to report sexual abuse in childhood. Under the reform, the statutes of limitation for crimes against minors begin to run from the moment the victim reaches the age of majority — rather than from the date of the offense. With this much-needed change, Bulgaria has made a crucial step forward in the protection of children against sexual abuse.
Just a few months after Latvia, Bulgaria joins Belgium, Denmark, Hungary, and the Netherlands in extending timeframes for survivors to seek legal redress against their perpetrators. This move comes in the midst of negotiations on an EU law that could ensure all EU countries have longer time frames for the prosecution of child abusers. Trilogue negotiations between the European Commission, the European Parliament, and member states are ongoing; the Parliament’s position is for the complete abolition of time limits, while member states are opposed.
This change makes it more likely that victims and survivors in Bulgaria will be able to access justice, enables support for historical abuse cases, and reduces the likelihood that perpetrators will be able to reoffend.
It however, falls short of allowing the majority of victims and survivors to press charges: they won’t be able to do so after they reach 38 years old, while the average age that survivors report childhood sexual abuse is 52. Due to the nature of this crime, it can take survivors decades to navigate cultural stigmas, organizational barriers, or come to terms with their abuse, and one of the psychological impacts can be repressed memories from childhood.
Brave Movement spokesperson, Miguel Hurtado Calvo: “Bulgaria’s decision is a vital step toward real justice for survivors. Childhood sexual abuse causes harm that does not expire, and neither should the right to seek justice for it. We are grateful for the Bulgarian government's leadership on this issue, and hope the new Justice Minister, Nikolay Naydenov, will carry this momentum forward by abolishing or at least extending statutes of limitation until the victim reaches 53 years old.”
