Under tolling provisions, which scenario tolls the statute of limitations?

• A. The offender is in custody.
• B. The victim travels out of state.
• C. The time during which the victim is unable to seek a complaint due to effects of the sexual contact or threats, or therapist instructions, is not included in computing the time limit.
• D. There is a delay in police investigations.

Answer: (C)

Tolling provisions adjust the running time of the statute of limitations when the victim’s ability to pursue charges is affected. The period when the victim is physically or mentally unable to seek a complaint—due to the effects of the sexual contact or threats, or guidance from a therapist—is not counted toward the time limit. This protects the victim from losing the opportunity to seek charges because of trauma or ongoing treatment.

That’s why this scenario is the best fit: it directly involves the victim’s incapacity and excludes that inactive time from the calculation, which is exactly what tolling is designed to do. The other situations—the offender in custody, the victim traveling out of state, or delays in police investigations—do not automatically pause the clock unless a specific tolling rule addresses them; they don’t center on the victim’s ability to act in the same way.