Survivors of child sexual abuse in Arkansas have a new opportunity to seek civil justice against their abusers. State Sen. David Wallace, R-Leachville, held a press conference Tuesday morning announcing a new two-year “lookback window” that began February 1, allowing victims of any age to bring their claims forward.

This opportunity for claims comes on the heels of the first window's expiration on January 31, which was put in place under the Justice for Vulnerable Victims of Sexual Abuse Act introduced in 2021 by Wallace and Rep. Jimmy Gazaway, R-Paragould.

"During the past two years, 2022 to 2024, more than 20 civil legal claims were filed on behalf of over 100 survivors of childhood sexual abuse in the state of Arkansas," Wallace said.

Arkansas child sexual abuse survivors able to file civil claims at any age

*Nathan Treece/Little Rock Public Radio*
State Sen. David Wallace, R-Leachville, announces a new two-year window for survivors of child sex abuse to file civil claims.

KUAR | By Josie Lenora

Another lawsuit has been filed against a former Arkansas religious boarding school accused of allowing and fostering sexual and physical abuse.

The Lord's Ranch was a therapeutic facility in Warm Springs, near the Missouri border. The school operated from 1976 to 2016 by family members Ted and Shirley Suhl. They are named as defendants in the lawsuit along with Emmet Alden Presley, a counselor who was the Director of Social Services at The Lords Ranch.

The camp claimed to provide services to students with emotional and behavioral problems. Their website when they were operational said “The Lord's Ranch provides a therapeutic treatment plan tailored to meet the needs of each resident.” It went on to talk about the importance of the Bible in their curriculum.

Second lawsuit filed against former Arkansas religious boarding school