MONTPELIER, Vt. (WCAX) – A bill that protects survivors of sexual assault from being held liable for their assaults is now law in Vermont. Monday, Gov. Phil Scott signed S.278.
It closes a loophole that allowed a jury to reduce a plaintiff’s payout in civil actions if they found the victim bears some responsibility for their sexual assault. The law exempts survivors from contributory negligence.
It comes in response to a high-profile sexual assault case more than a decade ago involving the Milton football team where a victim was found partially negligent.